


The Goblin King's Bride

by Mrs_Pepperpot



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fluff and Angst, Magic, Puzzles, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-18 22:23:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 33,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4722560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mrs_Pepperpot/pseuds/Mrs_Pepperpot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>More than seven years have passed since Sarah defeated the Goblin King and reclaimed her baby brother. Now she must face an even tougher challenge. Will she even want to win this time around? And just what is at stake?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first Labyrinth story I ever wrote. It has been posted on another Fanfiction site for over a year, but I thought I would add it to my list on here too.
> 
> I have tried to set the tone for each individual chapter with a relevant quote at the beginning, so I hope the device works. I never want to assume that anyone will read what I've written, but I'm extremely grateful to everyone who takes the time and the effort to leave a review. Please let me know what you think about this story - Mrs P.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to the Labyrinth movie or novelisation. But I have invented a few original characters for the purposes of this story.

 

" _ **Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colours. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving."**_

_**Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky** _

 

Sarah Williams stood and admired the view across the River Thames from her position on the Queen's Walk. As warm sunlight streamed across her face, she closed her eyes for a moment. It could almost be one of her dreams but for the very real sounds and smells of a vibrant city invading her senses. Sarah had longed to visit London since childhood. Her mother once played a minor role in a West End play. Although to hear her talk, she was the star of the show. Linda Williams' acting roles were sadly not confined to the stage. Sarah let out a wistful sigh at the memories of her absent mother's stories.

Rifling around inside her large purse, she attempted to locate the small folded map she'd purchased earlier from a street vendor. There were posters and flyers stuck everywhere she looked advertising an open-air theatre production in Regent's Park that very night. Being a lover of such things, she bought a ticket on impulse. The idea of seeing A Midsummer Night's Dream performed on the actual date was too much for her to resist. Sarah had once played Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in a high school production. It was back when she dreamed of following in her mother's footsteps by treading the boards. Alas, she soon found that, although she enjoyed theatrical experiences, acting was not in her blood.

Checking her location on the map, Sarah made her way to the nearest Underground station. It wasn't too long before she arrived in Camden Town. There was plenty of time for her to explore a little before the evening show. A rustic looking Italian restaurant caught her eye and feeling a hunger pang, she noted it was already way past noon. The busy lunchtime period was over and she chose to sit outside to make the most of the fine weather.  _It was never much fun dining alone,_  Sarah mused, wishing she had brought a book to read. The lack of company and reading material prompted her to look for other distractions to pass the time until her food arrived.

The restaurant was situated in an area where street entertainers were displaying their various talents. Hoping passers-by would reward their efforts, hats and bowls awaited spare change. The glint of sunlight on glass soon caught Sarah's attention. A man in a swirling black cape was performing a kind of disappearing act with three small crystal balls. Her eyes grew wide at the sight, especially when she noticed the magician's wild blond mane _. Was it disappointment or relief she felt when he turned around to reveal an unfamiliar and rather undistinguished face?_  Sarah wanted to believe it was the latter. One of the glass orbs clinked onto the ground and began to roll in her direction. It came to a halt only inches from her feet and the magician gestured for her to pick it up. She stared down at the crystal ball and was sure, for a split second, that two differently distinct eyes were watching her through it. Sarah swiftly parried it away with her sandaled foot and as her toes made contact with it, a warm tingling sensation passed through her.

Seven years had gone by since her quest through the Labyrinth and her defeat of the Goblin King. It seemed as real to her now as it did at the time. She kept the book and often read it to Toby when he was younger at his insistence. Her brother's repeated requests for that story alarmed her at first, but he seemed to remember the Goblin King fondly. He even recalled the song Jareth had sung for him and would regularly perform it for his bemused sister. Sarah also suspected that perfectly timed gifts from a mystery benefactor, which arrived unannounced and were occasionally left for her and Toby, might be from him. Sometimes she wondered if she might have misjudged the Goblin King due to her youth and naivety.  _How would he appear to her now if she met him as a woman and not a stroppy teenager with raging hormones?_  It was unwise to let her mind wander in such dangerous directions and yet she indulged it, thinking once wouldn't hurt.

Her meal arrived and was quickly consumed without further incident or distraction. Sarah soon returned to browsing in shop windows and recalled her earlier desire for a book to read during idle occasions. There was a quaint little second-hand bookstore up ahead and she leisurely strolled towards it. These old winding streets reminded her of the Labyrinth in a funny way with all the blind alleys and flagstones. Passing a pub called The Hobgoblin, she crooked a wary eyebrow, but it all seemed perfectly civilised with nothing out of the ordinary. Her attention was briefly drawn to an antique shop. There in the window was a stuffed barn owl mounted in a predatory pose on a plinth. Sarah shivered slightly, recalling the many occasions over the last several years when she'd seen a living creature just like it observing her from afar.

She never lost her sense of wonder, although she'd matured into a sensible young woman. There were times when adult decisions needed to be taken, like when she decided to train to be a school teacher. It didn't mean there wasn't occasionally room for her imagination to wander free. Toby now treasured most of her soft toy collection and other trinkets, but Sarah didn't believe it was necessary to completely relinquish one's childhood in order to grow up.  _Who wouldn't want to believe there was still a pinch of magic left in the world?_  It might just have been that she was too attached to the things that brought her comfort and reminded her of good times. Either way, she didn't care.

Sarah rarely called upon her old friends these days and hadn't at all since she'd left home for college. Of course, she thought of them from time to time, but Jareth was the one who continued to haunt her dreams. He was there at a vital moment in her life; the point where she was no longer just a girl and yet, not quite a woman. Her subsequent sexual fantasies were shaped by him and so in essence, he did show Sarah her dreams. She wasn't ready to give him what he wanted back then and now the moment had passed. Her parting valediction to the Goblin King, once a line she couldn't remember, became the one she could never forget.  _You have no power over me._   _What a pity_ , she thought, that it was a lie. Sarah certainly meant it at the time; Toby had to be recovered at all costs. It was only in the subsequent months and years which followed that she realised the truth: she would never be completely free of the Goblin King and, worse still, she didn't want to be.

A bell tinkled as she entered J & K Quinn's bookshop. It seemed to echo for longer than it should as if the sound was following her. Inside, the place was deceptively spacious and there was an ornate spiral staircase which ran through its centre. The steps were polished wood and the rail was intricately carved with a trailing leaf motif. It was breath-taking in its slightly crumbling surroundings. Around her, the air was thick with floating flecks of dust and the musty smell of old books. The shop was practically stacked from floor to ceiling with them. Sarah almost turned on her heel, overwhelmed at the choice and unsure where to begin. It was then her eye was caught by a familiar red binding. She was glad of something recognisable and with a smile, she reached for the book. It froze on her lips as she began to read the title, watching in bewilderment as the letters began to swirl and rearrange themselves into something else altogether.

"What the?…" Sarah exclaimed.

She started to flick haphazardly through the pages until her eye was caught by an elaborate, and slightly erotic, illustration.

"This isn't right," she gasped.

The air suddenly became thicker until it was hard to draw breath and Sarah grew lightheaded. Her eyelids started to flutter and she could have sworn she heard music playing. The rhythm seemed to swirl around her and it made her feel even dizzier. Her grip on the book loosened and everything, including herself, began to fall in slow motion.

_**There's such a fooled heart** _

_**Beating so fast** _

_**In search of new dreams.** _

_**A love that will last** _

_**Within your heart.** _

_**I'll place the moon** _

_**Within your heart...** _

_**As the world falls down** _

_**Falling** _

_**Falling** _

_**Falling** _

_**Falling in love…** _

 

_**[As The World Falls Down by David Bowie]** _

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

_**Be Careful What You Wish For...** _

 

The falling sensation ended as quickly as it began. Sarah found she was standing clutching the book, which now appeared to be just another copy of The Labyrinth, to her chest. Cautiously, she glanced around, but couldn't see another living being in the place. Taking one last look at the small book in her hands, she hastily jammed it back onto the shelf and ran for the door. When Sarah was safely outside on the sun-dappled street, she wondered what caused her to feel compelled to quit the store so soon. Her mind was foggy on the details; she only knew something about the book had unnerved her, which seemed odd as she knew it by heart. She could have sworn the cover title had changed to say something else. Frowning with the effort of trying to summon up the image, Sarah could see the words,  _The Goblin King's…_ but the rest eluded her.  _Perhaps if she took another glance at it just to be sure?_  Unconsciously, she'd turned back towards the door and then stopped in her tracks. Sometimes it was best not to go looking for trouble.

The street was bustling with life and her mind was quickly distracted from troubling thoughts. Sarah was glad she'd decided to take the opportunity to visit London before beginning her career in teaching. The trip had been wonderful so far and all she lacked was someone special to share it with. It wasn't as if she didn't have friends, but none of them were close best-friend-forever types. Sarah always felt like she was on the outside looking in as if no one in the world truly understood or got her. It was the same with guys and there had been no shortage of interest in that department. The ones she'd dated all seemed to want her to be something she wasn't. Some men wanted to own and keep her as they would a precious piece of artwork. Some merely wanted an accessory to wear on their arm like a decorative jewel. Most of them wanted the easy pleasures that they weren't willing to earn. None of them were really interested in her mind or her dreams.

_One day my prince will come..._ Sarah thought to herself and let out a heavy sigh.  _I wish!_ She regretted the second part of her thought almost immediately. The words hadn't been spoken aloud, but still, she always liked to err on the side of caution where wishes were concerned.  _Would it be so awful to see the Goblin King again?_  She wondered, and then mentally rebuked herself for even thinking such a thing.  _This is where seven years of fantasising about a teenage crush gets you,_ Sarah sighed bitterly; it was no wonder mere mortals couldn't measure up. If she was honest, she hadn't really given them the opportunity to. The poor men who did ask her out were swiftly dismissed as soon as their all too painfully evident faults presented themselves, which was usually on the first date.  _Had she really once broken up with a guy because he thought The Wizard of Oz was a bad movie?_ Yes, she had, and she wasn't even sorry about it. Most of her friends seemed happy enough with Mister-Right-Now, but Sarah knew that wouldn't do for her. She wanted the real thing or nothing at all.

Her attention was drawn to a curious looking store; Henson's Emporium, which seemed to be selling a mix of new age stuff alongside antique bric-a-brac. The various depictions of fairies and the like piqued her interest and she moved closer to the window to get a better look. A woman in her fifties, with scraped back black hair and a warty nose, smiled out at her from inside the shop. Sarah couldn't help returning the gesture nor, to her shame, from calling to mind the stereotypical image of a witch, which she silently scolded herself for. The woman had a warm sincerity in her eyes with an aura which radiated genuine kindness and it put Sarah immediately at ease. The shopkeeper beckoned her to enter the store, which she gladly did.

"A lovely afternoon, isn't it, my dear?" The woman asked as she poured out some tea.

"It sure is," Sarah smiled.

"Would you like one?" The shopkeeper gestured to the teapot as she sipped at her own cup. "It's St. John's Wort, which reputedly has many magical properties. It can help you in many ways, from attracting the object of your desire to fending off evil spirits, or so they say. Well, it is Midsummer's Day after all and you can't be too careful," she said with a wink.

Sarah frowned and then shrugged, "Why not?"

She gratefully took the offered cup and tried a sip; it was quite pleasant in an earthy kind of way. Glancing around with interest at the various trinkets and books, she longed to take a closer look.

"You've got some great stuff here," Sarah observed

The woman appeared glad to be in the company of someone with a real enthusiasm for folklore, myths and legends. They talked about a few of the most eye-catching pieces in detail as they wandered together around the small shop. The street outside had grown quieter and it didn't seem odd that no other customers entered the place.

"What you want is one of these nailed above your door," the shopkeeper explained as she held up a horseshoe. "That'll keep the little rascals out."

Sarah was unfamiliar with that particular tradition and quirked a sceptical eyebrow.

"Oh yes, my dear, cold iron can be lethal to the fae folk," the woman insisted, "At least to the younger ones. The older fae have their own protections against it."

Sarah continued looking around and drinking more tea until the chiming of a clock alerted her to the time.

"Oh, I'm sorry but I really have to go." She explained as she reluctantly headed for the door. "I'm seeing A Midsummer Night's Dream in Regent's Park in an hour."

The shopkeeper's expression turned contemplative. After a moment, she nodded to herself and stooped to retrieve something from the small jewellery display cabinet next to the counter.

"Please, will you take this, my dear? No charge, it's a gift."

She held out a silver link chain from which hung a milky gemstone pendant cut into a heart shape.

Sarah was surprised and didn't know what to say; it wasn't as if she couldn't afford to pay for it.

"It's a moonstone, for good luck and finding true love," the woman insisted with a smile. "Please take it and wear it tonight."

Sarah tentatively reached for the necklace, holding it up to admire how the light made it shine with flashes of grey and blue.

"Thank you, you're very kind, it's beautiful." She smiled as the shopkeeper helped fix it around her neck.

The woman's parting words echoed after her as Sarah made her way to the park.

_"May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone too far."_

* * *

Regent's Park was buzzing with fellow theatre lovers streaming by in their droves. Sarah gasped when she reached the auditorium; its beauty literally took her breath away. The circular stage was surrounded by trees and bushes, which were all lit up with twinkling fairy lights. It really did look like something out of a dream. The woodland set design was such that it was hard to distinguish where the real foliage ended and the fake began. It all added to the illusion and was perfect for the play about to unfold there. Sarah noted her seat was close to the stage and she went to take advantage of the facilities.

There was a long sweeping bar and dining area beneath the multi-tiered semi-circular seating of the auditorium. Some people were picnicking on the grass around the theatre. Others were milling around, finding friends and chatting. A board announcing the names of all the actors was on display, and Sarah felt a bristle of recognition at one of them. _Oberon, King of the Fairies will tonight be played by Jeremy Quinn._  She couldn't think where she'd seen or heard that name before, but it was definitely familiar to her. Taking the opportunity to freshen up, she also retouched her light make up. Her hair was tied in a sloppy ponytail and she shook it loose, using her fingers to brush through her long wavy tresses. It was a warm night and she felt quite comfortable in her knee-length floral sundress. There was time for a quick drink before she took her seat and so she went over to the bar.

"Gin and tonic, please," she requested.

The place was packed with fellow patrons and Sarah didn't notice she was being watched.

"With compliments, from the gentleman," the bartender said as he set a drink down in front of her and gestured off into the distance.

Craning her neck in an attempt to see the mystery man, she found it was impossible to single anyone familiar out in the crowd. She shrugged and studied the glass, it looked like gin and tonic but it smelled of something else.  _Peach Schnapps!_ Sarah realised with a grimace, thankful that she hadn't taken a sip. It was clearly someone's idea of a joke.  _Who would know about her suspicion of peaches,_  she wondered,  _except for... No, it couldn't be him, could it?_  Furtively, she glanced around, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable. Someone was toying with her, she just knew it. The drink was left untouched on the bar as Sarah made her way to the seating area.

The auditorium filled up with an excited audience as the air of anticipation grew. Sarah found she was seated between two older couples who seemed to regard her with a pitying eye. She was sure one of the women muttered something to her husband about it being a shame to see such a beautiful young woman unaccompanied. Sarah felt a pang of loneliness and wondered if she would ever find someone special to share these kinds of moments with. Then mirth overtook her; she was only almost twenty three for goodness sake, hardly an old maid.

A ripple of applause indicated the play was about to begin. Turning her attention to the stage, she saw the players for the first act take their places. Sarah was immediately spellbound, right up until Oberon made his first appearance on stage.  _That's the actor, Jeremy Quinn?_  Her mouth fell open in silent shock. It all made sense as she thought of J & K Quinn's bookstore, the place where she'd had the strange experience earlier that day. The connection clicked as she looked at Oberon, King of the Fairies, and recognised him for who he truly was; Jareth, King of the Goblins.


	3. Chapter 3

_**LYSANDER: Ay me! for aught that I could ever read,** _

_**Could ever hear by tale or history,** _

_**The course of true love never did run smooth;** _

_**But, either it was different in blood, —** _

_**William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream** _

 

If Jareth noticed her in the audience, he didn't betray any sign of recognition. Sarah found it hard to concentrate on anything but him, even when he wasn't on stage.  _Maybe it was only someone who looked like him,_  she tried to reason. But the likeness was too exact for mistaken identity and she was close enough to see one of his blue eyes was darker than the other. It had to be him; no one else looked like the Goblin King, not anywhere. There was a short intermission, as is customary at the halfway mark in a play, and Sarah was glad of it. Briefly, she thought of fleeing and getting as far away from Regent's Park as she could.  _The park back home should be far enough_ , she thought before letting out a snort at her foolishness.  _What was time or space to someone like Jareth?_  If he wanted to find her, he would, no matter where she tried to run to.

She returned to her seat with apprehension.  _What did he want this time?_  It wasn't as if she had any more babies to wish away.  _Why was he here now, after more than seven years?_ Her head was filled with endless questions she had no answers to. The play started up again and Sarah tried to forget her fears. She knew the lines well enough from her own foray into the theatre and was soon absorbed in the story once again. When Jareth came back on-stage she studied him closely thinking she was safe, for the moment at least. He looked as handsome and ethereal as ever he did, although his hair was shorter. It now looked more nineties Kurt Cobain grunge style than eighties soft rock star. Sarah grinned at the thought and then blushed as she found it rather suited him. The billowing white shirt he wore was open practically to the navel, revealing an expanse of finely sculptured alabaster skin. She imagined trailing her tongue down the length of his torso and her cheeks grew red.  _Where had that thought come from? Ah, yes, it was one of her fantasies_. She blushed again. But couldn't help noticing his breeches were as snug as ever, which elicited yet more X-rated thoughts.

Jareth smiled impishly when his part didn't call for it, and Sarah wondered if he could somehow sense her desire. Their eyes had yet to meet, but she didn't fool herself that he wasn't aware of her presence. She found herself mesmerised by the velvet smooth cadence of his voice as he delivered Oberon's lines.

_**But we are spirits of another sort:** _

_**I with the morning's love have oft made sport,** _

_**And, like a forester, the groves may tread,** _

_**Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red,** _

_**Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,** _

_**Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams.** _

_**But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay:** _

_**We may effect this business yet ere day.** _

Sarah was enraptured and her attention was devoted solely to him as if they were the only two people there. The rest of the crowd melted away as his gaze finally connected with hers. It felt like she was holding her breath as his strange captivating eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. The moment passed and all was as it had been before, except the Goblin King had left the stage.

The play ended to rapturous applause which she wholeheartedly joined in with. As the cast of players took their final bows, Jareth led the way and he drew more than one enthusiastic wolf whistle from the crowd. Sarah looked around with disapproval for the fervent fans who dared to display such coarseness. It wasn't as if he was undeserving of the attention; she just didn't want any other women to be giving it to him.  _Could it be I'm jealous?_  She wondered when the answer was already evident to her. The realisation caused her hackles to rise again.  _Be careful,_  she cautioned herself,  _this is Jareth, the Goblin King, remember?_ Oh, yes, she remembered alright.

* * *

Sarah felt as if she was in a strange limbo state after the play was over. The players had left, presumably to get changed, and the audience began to disperse from the auditorium. In no time at all it was almost empty and she reluctantly got to her feet to follow the last of the stragglers out of their seats. Desperately, she glanced around for any sign of Jareth only to be disappointed. It was probably for the best, she reasoned. Presumably, he'd already had his fun and returned to where he belonged.

The melodious sound of a woman's laughter caught her attention. Sarah looked over towards the backstage area and saw the willowy blonde who'd played Titania, Queen of the Fairies, draped over a tall man who was obscured by the shadows. She didn't need to see his face to know it was Jareth. Her heart sank as she watched them embrace. The woman giggled again and Sarah hurried away. Surprised and alarmed to hear quick footsteps following close behind her, she swung around to come face to face with her pursuer.

"Did you enjoy the show, Susan?" The Goblin King inquired with a sneering smile.

_He doesn't even remember my name._ She was crushed but determined not to let it show.

"Sarah," she almost whispered.

"What?" He barked impatiently.

"My name is Sarah." She enunciated each word as if speaking to a fool.

Jareth flashed an amused smile.

"Sarah, Susan, Sofia, Sharon, it's all the same to me." He waved her correction away as if it was nothing.

At least his lady friend hadn't joined them, she was grateful for that. Her humiliation was keenly felt as it was. Turning away from him, Sarah set off for the exit at a brisk pace. The Goblin King matched her at every step until they were walking side by side. He was wearing an expensive looking tailored suit in a dark grey colour with a light blue shirt, which was open to the chest, of course, she noted with disdain this time in place of lust. He was also sporting soft white leather gloves and pointed grey ankle boots. His shorter hair flapped about in the night breeze and fanned wildly around his face.

"Well?" He inquired again, "Did you like the play?"

Sarah came to an abrupt halt, her anger flaring and she forced herself to tamp it down.

"What do you want, Jeremy?" She coolly demanded, intentionally using his stage name, as she glared back at him.

Jareth smiled and bared his teeth in a predatory way, like she imagined a shark or a hungry lion would.

"You, Sarah, just you," he said.

 


	4. Chapter 4

_**You only know what I want you to** _

_**I know everything you don't want me to** _

_**Your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine** _

_**You think your dreams are the same as mine…** _

_**Poison and Wine by The Civil Wars** _

 

Sarah could do nothing but stare agog at the Goblin King. Although her mind was racing with a thousand questions, not a word escaped her lips. Jareth's amused expression turned to confusion, which he masked with annoyance when she failed to react to his declaration. He expected a slap to the face at the very least and none came. Sarah, for her part, was completely bewildered. She began to wonder if the whole thing was simply a dream like Puck suggested in the play. It never once occurred to her that her experience of the Labyrinth and everyone in it wasn't real, but this? Her day had been filled with echoes of Jareth.  _Hadn't she also made a silent wish to see him?_  Well, sort of. Either way, here he was  _or was he?_

"Pinch me."

Her sudden request took him by surprise and he gave her a quizzical look. Jareth wasn't sure what manner of game Sarah was playing. He was no one's pawn. However, he decided to go along with it, for the time being, and duly delivered a spiteful pinch to her arm.

"Ow!" She cried out in pain and in a reflex response she kicked him on the shin.

His eyes grew stormy and Sarah glowered at him. She gingerly rubbed the sore spot she was sure would bruise later. It was then the ridiculousness of the situation got the better of her and she burst out laughing. The Goblin King was similarly amused, even if he didn't show it.

"You are an odd creature, Sarah Williams." He observed, tilting one of his elegant eyebrows.

"Oh, so you do remember my name then?" She mocked, suspecting he'd never really forgotten it in the first place.

Jareth narrowed his gaze; she was pretty as a girl, but as a woman she had more than fulfilled her early promise. He took in her alluring feminine curves and her distinctly attractive features.

"Even an eternity spent in an Oubliette could not make me forget you," he confessed in a low seductive tone.

Sarah was flattered and couldn't help responding to his charms despite knowing she should beware. Her thoughts drifted back to the kindly shopkeeper she'd met earlier as she fiddled with her moonstone pendant. If the women's tales were intended to warn her against the fae then they had all come to nought. It was almost midnight and here she was practically in the thrall of the Goblin King, no less. Sarah attempted to stifle another giggle because the whole situation was just too absurd. Jareth suddenly threw out his hand for her to take, his bewitching eyes silently willing her on. The air around them was thick with a heady sweet floral scent and suspecting magic, Sarah was relieved to find they were only stood close to a rose garden. She refused to take his hand, but they started walking together at an easy pace.

"So, Jeremy Quinn, do you often prance about from world to world performing a little Shakespeare as you go?" She teased.

He couldn't hide his amusement, but pretended to be affronted anyway.

"Do you know how tedious being King of the Goblins can be?" Jareth affected a pitiful look.

His expression was so convincing, Sarah actually began to feel sorry for him.

"We all need our little distractions," he said.

She knew what he meant, being fond of the odd bit of escapism herself.

"It's so beautiful here." Sarah sighed dreamily and she wasn't only referring to their surroundings.

He nodded thoughtfully as if agreeing with her, but all the while his mind was on another matter. It was Midsummer; a magical time when the veil between worlds was lifted. Jareth could pass between realms without being summoned by a wish, as he could also do on other occasions, like full moons. The timing of this visit was not coincidental and the clock was ticking. He fully intended to take what he came for.

"You owe me an heir," he said out of the blue, as they paused by an ornamental water fountain.

"Excuse me?" Sarah exclaimed as her attention was rudely redirected from her admiration of their surroundings.

"An heir," he repeated impatiently. "I thought your brother would be the one to follow in my footsteps, but alas, it wasn't to be. Such a pity, but still, you were the one who deprived me of him and so you shall be the one to make amends." Jareth took on a dangerous air which conveyed his serious intent.

Sarah knew it was all too good to be true. She inwardly scolded herself for getting swept up in a romantic fantasy of her own making. The Goblin King wasn't the Mister Right she'd been waiting for, he was mean and cruel. She might have matured in many ways, enough to be classed as an adult, at any rate. But men and relationships were still an unchartered territory and Jareth wasn't even a mortal man. Feeling ridiculously out of her depth, she could only draw upon her past defeat of him for assistance.

"You have no power over me," Sarah stated as forcefully as she could muster.

It was Jareth's turn to laugh and he did so mercilessly until it echoed all around her.

"I won," she angrily retorted. "I solved your Labyrinth and I defeated you. You've got some nerve coming back here after all this time demanding I get you a baby. I mean what the actual heck?"

The Goblin King smirked, his sharp teeth and pale complexion exuding menace. His mercurial expression swiftly turned serious.

"You didn't win anything, Sarah. I let you go," he sneered. "There's a world of difference between conquering over insurmountable odds and strolling to an easy victory. If your opponent doesn't do everything in his power to beat you, is that winning?"

It wasn't the whole truth, but he wasn't feeling generous. He hadn't intended to forfeit the boy even though he knew from the start he couldn't keep the girl, not then. She was too young and there were rules about that, even for the fae.

Sarah felt her world crumbling around her as it had done once before at their last confrontation.  _Had her victory really been a lie?_ She got Toby back and that was all she'd wanted at the time.

"I think we're done here," she hissed, turning on her heel to walk away.

"Not so fast," Jareth took her wrist in a vice-like grip.

He wasn't letting go this time.

"No," she protested attempting to pull away, but it was all too late.

Sarah could see the scenery changing in her peripheral vision as she hatefully glared at the Goblin King. Swinging her free arm, she landed a vicious slap on his pale cheek.

"Ah, there it is, better late than never," he mocked.

She had never felt so angry, or so hopeless, and she bit back her tears. He wouldn't have the satisfaction of making her cry, she vowed. Somewhere in the distance a clock was striking twelve and a sudden spinning sensation overwhelmed her senses. Sarah closed her eyes as Jareth urged her to go to sleep and she found she couldn't fight him. Her world turned to black and she missed his heartfelt whispered apology.

 


	5. Chapter 5

_**DUMBY: I congratulate you, my dear fellow. In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. The last is much the worst; the last is a real tragedy! But I am interested to hear she does not love you. How long could you love a woman who didn't love you, Cecil?** _

_**CECIL GRAHAM: A woman who didn't love me? Oh, all my life!** _

_**Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan** _

 

Jareth paced around his throne room lashing out at random goblins as he passed them by. He couldn't reorder time while he was in the human world and was required to spirit Sarah away before their clocks struck twelve. His hand had been forced by the growing lateness of the hour. Maybe if he hadn't let his vanity run away with him, and he'd forgone the theatrics, he could have spent more time wooing her. Jareth doubted a few more hours would have made the difference. She hated him now and he couldn't bear it. He kicked yet another hapless goblin into the air.

"Bring me the dwarf," he barked his command to no one in particular.

The various creatures around him began to scatter in a frenzy of activity as the Goblin King swept out of the room. He bounded up the stairs to the place in the high tower where he was keeping his most precious possession. All was quiet and he wondered if she might be sleeping. Unlocking the door, he tentatively stepped inside the chamber, whereupon Sarah charged at him and delivered a fierce punch to his face. She drew back to nurse her sore knuckles as Jareth wiped at his bloody nose with his gloved hand. Quickly recovering his composure, he magically waved away the damage she'd inflicted. The door slammed and locked behind him at his command to ensure she wouldn't try to escape. Not that it would do her any good, she couldn't get far from him, he'd seen to that.

"I trust you are comfortable?" He inquired in a cold tone.

The room was furnished fit for a queen with the finest silk sheets and a sinfully luxuriously soft feather bed. It would have been better than the best five-star hotel, were it not for the bars on the windows and locks on the door.

"Another example of your legendary generosity, is it?" Sarah gestured around her with a sweep of her hand. "This is a cage and nothing more," she snarled.

He inwardly recoiled from the venomous look she was throwing at him.

"How am I even here? I didn't wish myself away to you. By what right have you abducted me?" She badgered him for answers.

Jareth brought a black gloved hand up to mouth and rested his index finger over his lips in a contemplative way.

"Your cooperation was not required this time," he finally said.

Sarah regarded him with blatant contempt; the Goblin King was well and truly back. He was garbed in the kind of flamboyant finery she expected from him. The elegant earthly menswear had been replaced by metallic grey breeches, matching silk shirt, black leather riding boots, and a lavishly embroidered black leather jacket. The glittery makeup mask was in place, and his hair, although still shorter and thicker than it used to be, was wildly ruffled.

"Your incarceration is temporary," he assured her. "Once we've been properly bonded, after the wedding, the bars will no longer be needed," Jareth explained as if it was all perfectly reasonable.

"Whoa, back up a bit there, mister." Sarah was in shock as the meaning of his words dawned on her. "Wedding?" she questioned, sharply jabbing at his chest to drive her point home. "You can't possibly be deluded enough to think I would ever marry you."

He hated seeing her so hurt and angry, but he couldn't deny she turned him on like this. She was gorgeous all the time and especially when she was mad, he thought with a devilish grin. His reaction only fired her fury and another horrific realisation suddenly formed in her mind.

"When you said I owed you an heir, you meant… Oh God, no, never happening," she protested her face contorted with disgust.

Her reaction was the equivalent of a drenching from an ice cold bucket of water and Jareth was back to feeling wretched. He wanted Sarah to love and desire him as he did her. All he lacked was any idea, aside from using magic, of how to make that happen. As Goblin King, he could have claimed her when she came of age in the human world. He had been more than generous if she only knew it. His patience had reached its limit and he needed to make her his before longing for her drove him insane.

"The wedding will take place in thirteen days, after which we will be bonded together for all eternity. Forever is a long time. Although, with you, I believe it will feel even longer," he sighed wistfully.

Sarah seized on what she perceived to be the softening of his mood and decided to change tack. She tentatively moved closer to him and reached up to softly caress his cheek. Her action seemed to be having the desired effect as he leaned into her touch. The movement was so slight she might have missed it, were she not watching him like a hawk. At that moment, she could almost forgive him anything for his elegant handsomeness, but she wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

"Jareth," she purred. "You don't want me; I'll make your life just an absolute misery. Please, let me go." Her green eyes appealed to his unique ones.

His lips twitched with annoyance, he was disappointed in her for resorting to such a cheap trick, even if he wasn't above taking some pleasure from it.

"I'll never let you go, Sarah," he swore. "You will be my wife and my queen. The sooner you accept that the better it will be for you. I have so many wonderful things to show you and we have so many dreams to realise together. I can make you happy if you'll only give me the chance."

Stepping away, she turned her back on him. It appeared to be a hopeless situation and she allowed defeatism to overcome her.

"Anything you want from me, you'll have to take by force. I will never love you, never," she vowed.

"Never, forever, eternity; nothing stays the same and time changes everything." Jareth mused aloud.

He wanted to offer her some kind of comfort but was unable to.

"Just answer me one question," Sarah's voice was little more than a whisper and he nodded for her to continue. "Why me?"

The Goblin King didn't even try to banish the longing from his eyes and he drew in a deep breath before answering.

"I've lived a very long time," he paused, "And it's a rare and valuable thing to find someone who can still surprise me."

"So, I'm to be an amusement for you in your dull life, is that it?" She was incredulous with anger.

Jareth moved his lips as if he was going to speak and then thought better of it.

_Why you, Sarah? Because I love you with all of my heart, that's why,_ he admitted to himself alone.

He backed towards the wall and faded through it, leaving her to collapse into wretched tears on the bed.

A knock on the door barely registered, so deep in despair was she. Unable to face the Goblin King again in such a state, she buried her head into the pile of soft pillows.

"Just go away and leave me alone," she yelled as someone entered the room uninvited.

"But I've only just got here," a familiar voice grumbled.

"Hoggle?"

He didn't have a chance to reply as he was suddenly hoisted into the air and enveloped in a tight hug.

"Don't you frets now, Sarah, everything's gonna be alright," he said as he tenderly patted her head.

 


	6. Chapter 6

" _ **Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness."**_

_**R.J. Palacio, Wonder** _

 

"Oh, Hoggle," Sarah wailed and sobbed on her friend's shoulder. "You have to help me get out of here."

The little dwarf was racked with guilt; he needed to confess something to her, but didn't want to add to her misery.

There were so many fairy tales involving princesses who got locked up in towers. The silly fools usually sat around for years awaiting rescue by a handsome prince. The thought of it rankled at Sarah and she dried her tears. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, she was determined to turn her mind towards devising an escape plan.

"You know this place, right? There's gotta be some way out of here. We managed to break in seven years ago; it can't be that hard to break out, can it?" She inquired with optimism.

Hoggle looked downcast and avoided answering her question.

"We ain't seens you for such a long time, thought you'd forgot all about us." He sounded hurt as he fiddled with the plastic bracelet she'd once gifted him.

Sarah felt a stab of guilt as she'd never meant to go so long without calling on her old friends. When she first went to college, there had been a conscious effort on her part to behave like an adult. She never intended that to mean leaving them behind, it just sort of happened. When you don't see friends for a long time, it's possible to start and believe you can get by without them. Sarah realised how wrong she'd been, now she needed them more than ever and contemplated what a terrible person she must be.

"I'm so sorry, Hoggle," she apologised. "How can you ever forgive me? I guess I forgot how much I still need you, and Sir Didymus and Ludo, how are they?"

"I ain't seens them for a while," he confessed. "Don't suppose I'm much good at being a friend, either," the little dwarf sighed.

They both sat on the edge of the bed swinging their legs back and forth and feeling completely miserable.

"You know, I once read somewhere that true friends are always together in spirit," Sarah recalled.

Hoggle brightened up a little.

"You were always in my heart and I'm so glad you're here now." She hugged him again.

The little dwarf was embarrassed for making her feel bad when he was harbouring a dark secret of his own. He shrugged off her fussing over him and jumped down from the bed.

"So, any ideas on how we can escape?" She asked as she peered out of the barred window.

Hoggle shuffled around in obvious discomfort while making noncommittal noises.

Sarah felt a renewed sense of purpose and began searching the room in the hope of finding a trap door.

"If Jareth thinks he can hold us here as prisoners, he's very much mistaken, right?" She was once again the plucky heroine.

"Ah, actually I'm not a prisoner, His Majesty sent for me, thoughts you needed a friend, I suppose," Hoggle haltingly explained.

Sarah was aghast.

"What does he know or care about what I need? He took me from my world against my will and locked me up in this room. He's a monster," she raged.

The dwarf shook his head.

"There's plenty worse than Jareth," he said.

Sarah was apoplectic.

"I can't believe you're defending him," she shrieked with exasperation. "After everything he's done."

Her friend appeared sheepish but was unrepentant.

"You haven't seens much of this world or the creatures in it. His Majesty ain't so bad, that's alls I'm saying."

"He's keeping me prisoner until he can marry me and do goodness knows what else to me, who's worse than that?" Sarah demanded to know.

Hoggle shrugged and was about to offer himself up as an example.

"I just want to go home." Her voice wobbled with emotion and fresh tears began to fall.

"Aarrgghh, it's all my fault," the dwarf blurted out as he waved his arms around in anguish.

"I gave you that damn peach and you took a bite out of it and that bound you to Jareth and this world, forever," he explained.

She shook her head in disbelief and refused to accept it, muttering the word, no, over and over to herself.

"I swears I didn't realise until it was too late. I'm so sorry, Sarah." Hoggle felt like he was the worse person in any world for breaking his friend's heart.

She slumped back down onto the bed, dejected and betrayed. Never had she felt as alone as she did at that moment, not even when her dad married Irene. It took a long time for Sarah to realise her stepmother wasn't her enemy, or wicked. They had grown pretty close over the years since her experience in the Labyrinth. It all began when she realised she had to forgive Irene for daring to marry her father and for being a better mom than her birth mother ever tried to be. Looking over at her friend, her gaze softened. He was truly sorry, she could see that.

"I forgive you," Sarah said.

Hoggle was astonished as he felt he didn't deserve her mercy.

"Jareth is the bad guy here, not you," she assured him.

The little dwarf warily glanced around as he knew the Goblin King was probably observing them in one of his crystal balls.

"His majesty told me to tell you, he'll let you have free run of the castle if you promise to behave yourself and don't try to escape," Hoggle said.

He hated doing Jareth's dirty work, but at least it would allow Sarah the chance to see more than her current four walls.

Screwing up her face in anger, she prepared to give him directions on where His Majesty could stick his generous offer. But then, a delicious thought occurred to her. She couldn't make the Goblin King suffer if she was locked away all the time. Being free to wander would also give her the opportunity to formulate a plan of escape, she mused.

"He's got himself a deal," Sarah said with a wicked grin.

Hoggle looked worried as if he could read her mind.

"Promise you won't do nothing to makes him angry, otherwise it'll be the Bog of Eternal Stench for me," he fretted.

Sarah feigned a look of innocence, besides she knew his-royal-pain-in-the-ass-ness used that threat too often for it to be given any credence.

_Jareth will consider the Bog of Eternal Stench a cakewalk when I'm through with him,_ she thought with gleeful malice.

"I'll be a good girl, I promise," she cooed for the Goblin King's benefit as she was certain, from Hoggle's body language, that he was watching and listening.

In the throne room, Jareth contemplatively beheld the crystal in his hand. He loved Sarah, but he wasn't a fool for love and he didn't expect she would play by his rules. It wouldn't be half as much fun if she did, he mischievously thought.

"I am much obliged to you, Hog-brain," he smirked as he looked upon his reluctant envoy. "Let the games begin."

 


	7. Chapter 7

_**KATHERINE: Why, sir, I trust I may have leave to speak,** _

_**And speak I will. I am no child, no babe.** _

_**Your betters have endured me say my mind,** _

_**And if you cannot, best you stop your ears.** _

_**My tongue will tell the anger of my heart** _

_**Or else my heart, concealing it, will break,** _

_**And, rather than it shall, I will be free** _

_**Even to the uttermost, as I please, in words.** _

 

_**William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew** _

 

Sarah flicked through the floaty gowns which filled the wardrobe in her room and dismissed them all without a second glance. Jareth appeared to be labouring under the misapprehension that she was some kind of delicate flower, or should at least dress like one. The clothing he'd had prepared for her was more suited to an old school Disney princess and not someone who intended to kick his ass. After vanquishing him and his labyrinth while wearing jeans, perhaps he thought frothy dresses would slow her down. Sarah was about to give it up as a bad job when her eyes fell upon an exquisitely embroidered dark green leather jacket. There were also matching knee riding boots in the bottom of the wardrobe. The outfit was clearly intended for outdoors or equestrian pursuits, but it was so near to the Goblin King's attire she couldn't resist. The only thing missing was anything resembling pants. This world was clearly lagging behind on women's rights; she contemplated with an exasperated huff.

"I wish I had my own things or my suitcase from the hotel, at least," Sarah spoke the words out loud without her usual caution regarding wishes.

Eventually, she settled on wearing a black petticoat style ankle length skirt and a grey blouse for underneath the jacket. The overall effect was quite pleasing, she grudgingly admitted. But she was still determined to procure some pants at the earliest opportunity. Sarah made a few last minute adjustments to her hair, which she was wearing as a side ponytail, and her carefully applied makeup. It wasn't for the sake of vanity. However, she did appreciate the effect these things could have on the opposite sex when she made the effort. A knock at the door announced the arrival of her escort and she bid him enter.

Jareth tried hard to control his reaction, but Sarah could see with quiet satisfaction that she was getting to him. He held out his arm for her to take and she accepted with her sweetest smile. She was forced to acknowledge that he looked handsome, quite unacceptably so, in fact. Wearing as he was a mix of dark blue leather and sky blue silks.

"How would you like a tour of the castle?" He inquired with his best smouldering gaze.

"It's not as if I've got anything better to do, is it?" She goaded, all the while keeping her smile fixed firmly in place.

Jareth remained silent and led her up a stone spiral staircase until they came out at the start of a long corridor. There were intricately carved wooden panels on the walls and various colourful hanging tapestries. Each panel seemed to be depicting some kind of historical event and there was writing on them she couldn't read. Her attention was briefly drawn to an unusual portrait which was displayed in an ostentatious golden frame. It appeared to show Jareth looking at his reflection, except the mirror image didn't have his distinctly different eyes, just two matching blue ones.

The Goblin King and Sarah soon came to a heavy oak door and it magically opened before them. It revealed a room which was impossibly vast and stacked with row upon row of books in all kinds of sizes.

"The library," Jareth ceremoniously announced.

"Well, duh," Sarah rolled her eyes and walked over to the nearest shelf.

She found, on closer inspection, that the whole thing was an optical illusion and only the first few bookcases were real.

"What the...?" She exclaimed

"Nothing here is quite as it first appears," Jareth cautioned.

Sarah knew he was alluding to himself as much as the fixtures and fittings. It was a warning she'd heard before and had disregarded at her peril. Letting out a heavy sigh, she pulled a weighty tome from the shelf. It was completely illegible to her just as the writing on the wood carvings and tapestries had been.

"Great, your not-quite-a-library doesn't seem to have anything in it I can actually read," she complained.

"Every book ever written anywhere is here. Simply say the title of the book you require out loud and it will come to you," Jareth instructed.

Sarah was sceptical but decided to give it a go for the sake of amusement.

"How about The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux?" she declared.

She had once seen the musical version but never got around to reading the book. Now she was a glorified prisoner she might actually have the time. It seemed kind of appropriate for her situation. Although Jareth was more monstrous on the inside than the out, she mused. In a whoosh of air, the novel appeared and landed softly in her hands.

"Wow," she exclaimed as she flicked through the pages to check it was in English.

Her choice was not lost on the Goblin King and he knew she intended to wound him with it. However, he remained confident she would begin to feel differently when he'd done pulling out all the stops to dazzle and impress her. She seemed delighted enough with the book and he'd barely even started yet. He would show her his devotion and love knew no bounds.

Leaving the library, Jareth and Sarah continued down the corridor towards another heavy oak door. There was a large arched window to their right and they paused to take in the view. It was a long way down to the ground and she pondered whether it could be used as a means of escape.

"Don't even think about it." The Goblin King cautioned as he read her intentions. "I have cast a returning spell to bind you to the castle and, even if you did manage to get outside, it would bring you straight back in an instant," he explained.

Sarah felt her rage bubbling up inside her and she so badly wanted to hurt him. Her frustration over a lack of any means to do so caused her to let out an angry scream.

"I hate myself for what I'm about to say, but I hate you even more: IT'S NOT FAIR," she yelled.

Jareth opened his mouth to offer a sly retort only to be hit with another barrage of fury.

"I'm such an idiot. To think I even gave you the time of day after everything you put me through the first time around. You show up after seven years full of charm, full of something, that's for sure. You'd think I'd know better, but, no. I should have got the hell out of there the first moment I saw you up on that stage. What the heck was I thinking?" Sarah was as furious with herself as she was with him.

"What's done is done." He began. "If there had been any other way..."

"Don't," she waggled her finger at him. "Just, don't."

Sarah wanted to hit him again, even if he could magic away the damage. Instead, she stilled her hand and turned away from him.

"Take me back to my cell." She demanded in a cold detached voice.

Jareth was unprepared for this turn of events as it didn't fit with his plans to make her feel more kindly towards him. Things were going about as wrong as they could and he didn't know how to make them right. He ruled out putting her under his thrall, because fake affection wasn't what he desired. But he also knew he wouldn't give her what she wanted the most; her freedom.

"I've got so many wonderful things to show you, Sarah. Don't deny yourself a chance to experience pleasures untold just because things didn't turn out the way you expected them to." He tried to tempt her.

"I would rather jump head first into the Bog of Eternal Stench than spend another second with you," she spat back at him. "You think eternity is a long time, huh? It won't be nearly long enough for all the misery and pain I intend to inflict on you. Now, take me back to my prison cell so I can start writing a list of all the ways I'm gonna make you suffer," she raged.

He let out a defeated sigh and led her back to her room.

Sarah closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling as she heard the door close behind her. When she opened them a gasp of surprise escaped her lips, for there on the bed was her suitcase. It contained everything she'd packed for her London vacation and so glad was she to have some of her own things around her, she sank to the floor and wept.

 


	8. Chapter 8

_**Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin** _

_**Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in** _

_**Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove** _

_**Dance me to the end of love...** _

 

_**Dance Me to the End of Love by Leonard Cohen** _

 

The Goblin King sat brooding on his throne as he absentmindedly twirled three crystal balls in his hands. He hoped granting Sarah's wish would make her happy and yet still she wept. The years he'd spent fantasising about having her close to him had not prepared him for the reality of it. She may as well still be a world away, he thought bitterly, resenting the power she wielded over him. No other woman had ever captured his heart and at that moment he wished he'd never set eyes on Sarah Williams. He glanced at her in one of the crystals and his heart softened once again at the sight of her. What a sweet agony it was to be in love and to crave being loved in return.

Jareth had been a spoiled being all of his life. As a child, he was indulged by his parents and it seemed everyone he'd encountered since was desperate to please him, particularly when they were female. He had long since shunned his family responsibilities in the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification. Crowning himself King of the Goblins along the way, the simple creatures had embraced him gladly as their ruler. Jareth was unaccustomed to losing or fighting for anything. Sarah had already denied him once and she would do so again given the opportunity. Realistically, he knew the only thing likely to improve her opinion of him would be to let her return to the human realm. He would do many things for her, but he wouldn't allow her to leave him. She was attracted to him, he could sense it, and all he had to do now was turn attraction into adoration. Jareth let out a heavy sigh; he could no sooner turn his love for her into loathing and he had tried.

The goblins' raucous behaviour was fraying his already frazzled nerves and he roared at them to be quiet. Almost immediately, the room grew silent and he heard approaching footsteps echoing down the stone staircase that led to his throne room. He turned his head expectantly and felt a twinge of inner delight, as Sarah appeared before him flanked by her goblin guards. She was dressed in some of her own clothes, looking no less beguiling in jeans and a baggy sweater than she had in all her finery. He jumped up to greet her, letting the crystal balls he'd been toying with scatter on the ground as he did so. She eyed him warily and kept her distance.

"I might hate you and what you've done to me, but that's no reason to forget my manners, so thanks, I guess, for these," she said gesturing to her clothing.

Sarah realised sulking in her room, however justified, would be a self-defeating exercise. She only had the best part of thirteen days to escape from this nightmare and there was no time to lose.

Jareth acknowledged her thanks with a nod of his head and tried his best to feign disinterest at her presence. Noticing their goblin audience were glaring expectantly at them in the hopes of some kind of entertainment, he threw them a menacing warning look. He resumed his seat on the throne and pondered his next move.

"So, what exactly does a Goblin King do?" Sarah inquired, daring to take a step closer to him with every word. "Besides steal babies and potential brides, that is," she sneered.

He tapped impatiently at his boot with his swagger stick.

"You know very well I answer wishes, nothing more, that isn't theft," Jareth corrected her.

"You stole me," she accused.

The goblins started to cackle and snigger.

"Stop that," she ordered and duly chastened, they did.

Jareth couldn't resist smiling at her ability to command them. She was born to be his queen, he proudly observed.

"I've spent over a thousand years granting other people's wishes, I thought it was high time I got a turn and I wished for you," he said as he unconsciously leaned closer towards her.

Sarah looked pensive.

"People wish for things they don't really want all the time. Often, they don't even know they don't want it until they get it," she said.

The Goblin King quirked a sceptical eyebrow as a sign he rejected her theory.

"I think getting your heart's desire is just about the worst thing that can happen to a person. What I mean is, sometimes we want stupid things, right? Maybe the pleasure is all in the wanting and not in the having," Sarah mused.

Jareth looked deep into her eyes and his mismatched ones were libidinous.

"Why don't you let me show you just how much pleasure there can be in the having, hmm?" He purred.

Sarah felt an involuntary shiver of anticipation pass through her and he smirked because he felt it too.

"I could make your soul sing and it would never be the same song twice, each time would rock your world in a different way," he promised.

She bit her lower lip as her anger at him was transformed into wanton lust and she felt powerless to stop it. He wasn't using magic on her, only his charms, which were just as dangerous, perhaps even more so. Hating herself for being so easily swayed, her instinct was to flee back to the relative safety of her room.

Jareth pounced on her moment of weakness and before she could run away, he sprang into action. He waved his hands and a crystal ball appeared. It glowed and pulsated with a bright white light.

"How about we indulge in a little song and dance?" he said as he threw the orb into the air.

Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but before the words came out there was a blinding flash and everything around her changed.

There was soft music playing and it grew louder as her eyes came back into focus. She was standing in a magnificent ballroom wearing a sumptuous and shimmering silver-white dress. It was tighter and more revealing than the one she'd worn seven years before in her drugged peach dream. There were no other revellers masquerading as goblins this time around, only herself and Jareth. He was dressed much as he had been in her fantasy; it was just his shorter hair that was different. Taking her in his arms, they began to move rhythmically around the floor. It took her a while to register that he was singing to her, so lost in the moment was she.

_**Sometimes you get so lonely** _

_**Sometimes you get nowhere** _

_**I've lived all over the world** _

_**I've left every place** _

_**Please be mine** _

_**Share my life** _

_**Stay with me** _

_**Be my wife...** _

_**[Be My Wife by David Bowie, from the album, Low]** _

Jareth let his hand slide up her body from her waist to cup her chin as he moved in for a kiss. Sarah found she couldn't help herself and their lips softly brushed together. It was tentative at first and built slowly until their tongues were frantically duelling. He tasted of sweet forbidden delights and she couldn't get enough. Her hands roamed over his firm chest and up through his wild hair. His lips trailed kisses down her face and neck as she gasped for breath.

"Oh, that feels so good." She heard herself almost purring with delight.

There was no clock to beat and no one for her to save this time. Except herself, Sarah realised with alarm. Her eyes flew open and she saw the Goblin King's open desire reflected back at her in a huge ornate vanity mirror. They were no longer in the ballroom. Instead, he had transported her to a flamboyantly decorated but masculine bedchamber. The huge four poster bed was a vast expanse of black silk sheets and dark fur throws.

"No, not like this," she panicked, her voice high-pitched and squeaky as she attempted to break free from his firm embrace.

"Don't fight it, Sarah," he murmured in her ear as he lowered her back against the bed.

His hands and lips were everywhere and her resolve soon crumbled under her feelings of growing arousal.

This was just like one of her fantasies, she thought as he covered her with kisses. Her realisation had a sobering effect and she shoved forcefully at him.

"Stop," she demanded.

Jareth ceased his heated attentions to look into her eyes.

"Is that what you really want?" He questioned as he beheld the tousled beauty snared beneath his strong lean frame.

He ran an un-gloved hand gently down her face and neck to the line of her cleavage.

Sarah shivered at his touch as; once again, her mind grew foggy with desire.

"Everything with you is trickery and illusion," she croaked, her resolve slowly returning. "Nothing here is real," she declared.

Jareth appeared wounded.

"The way we feel right now, that's real," he argued.

Sarah began wriggling to extricate herself from underneath him and he didn't stop her, although he wanted to.

The Goblin King adopted a provocative pose amongst the furs and made no attempt to hide his ardour.

"I don't trust you and no matter what else I might feel, or think I do, how can I ever be sure of anything when it comes to you?" She asked.

Jareth slowly rose from the bed and he kept his eyes fixed on hers as he clapped his hands together. They were immediately transported back to the throne room and Sarah found she was back in her casual wear.

"No one else knows me as you do. I have given my heart to no other woman before you and there will be none after. We will spend eternity in each other's arms," he vowed.

She couldn't trust herself to speak again and so she fled as far away from him as she could get, which wasn't anywhere near a safe enough distance.

 


	9. Chapter 9

_**Knowledge is power - Sir Francis Bacon** _

 

Hoggle grumbled about his sore feet as he was led into Jareth's private chamber. He found the Goblin King sat at his desk, impatiently tapping on the polished wood veneer with his swagger stick.

"Higgle, no one keeps me waiting," he impatiently rebuked his underling. "I demand to know what has taken you so long."

The little dwarf let out an exasperated sigh.

"Your Majesty only transported me outside the Labyrinth, I still had a long ways to travel," he argued.

"Yes, yes, Hog-head, but time ticks on and I have less than nine days remaining before my wedding. What news do you bring?" Jareth gave him an expectant glare.

Digging around in his trouser pocket, the dwarf eventually produced a small scroll. The Goblin King hurriedly snatched it from his hands and breaking the wax seal, he unfurled the paper. He quickly scanned the elegantly written words and then slammed it down on his desk with an angry thud.

"Damn them," he growled. "I won't have  _him_ here, not with Sarah, and I don't want to take her to them, not yet," Jareth muttered to himself.

"How was my dear brother?" The king's feigned curiosity was spiked with sarcasm.

Hoggle fidgeted about nervously.

"You knows Prince Kareth," he shrugged.

Yes, Jareth knew him alright, even if they hadn't laid eyes on each other for many years. The Goblin King brought his fingers together in a steeple as he contemplated his next move. When dealing with his parents, he would have to be clear on what he was willing to sacrifice in order to get what he wanted. His family would not make it easy for him, of that he was sure. Again, he cursed his love for Sarah; if he could be content to have her for as long as her mortal life allowed, none of this would be necessary. The human lifespan was so fleeting and he refused to watch her wither and die. Unfortunately, he required the assistance of his family to make her immortal and he hated being beholden to them almost as much as he loved Sarah.

"You may leave," the Goblin King dismissed Hoggle.

He needed time alone to formulate a plan of action.

"Can I sees Sarah?" the little dwarf hopefully inquired.

Jareth narrowed his gaze.

"Yes, but you will not mention one word of this to her, do you understand? Not one word," he warned.

Hoggle nodded his understanding and shuffled out of the room. He carried on up the stone staircase to see his friend and fretted about the situation she had unwittingly landed herself in. When he told her there were worse beings than Jareth in this world, he meant it. There was his brother Kareth for a start.

The Goblin King reclined back in his chair and closed his eyes; it would be dangerous to take Sarah to meet his family, but he couldn't go without her. She would have to be obedient and obliging, neither of which he could rely on without putting her under his thrall. He hoped to avoid using magic to control her mind, even if he wasn't above using it to dazzle her. Sarah was beginning to thaw towards him and he knew if he could only devote the remaining eight full days to wearing down her resistance, she might willingly be his bride. His parlour trick hadn't really been intended as a serious attempt to get her into bed, although she proved more malleable than he expected. Sarah was a virgin, he knew these things, and he anticipated it would make their wedding night extra special. Her purity would assist the bonding process and the ritual of turning her into an immortal. He wouldn't risk that, no matter how sorely he was tempted.

* * *

Sarah was sprawled on her bed attempting to read The Phantom of the Opera, but her heart just wasn't in it. Her thoughts were focused elsewhere and on one thing in particular; if she only possessed more knowledge of love and what it felt like to be in it. No other man ever made her feel the way Jareth did, that much was certain. Sarah couldn't deny her attraction to him; it ran much deeper than that, though, if she was honest. If she were there on equal terms and not as a captive, the whole thing might be a lot simpler. Was she supposed to simply forget she was an independent woman with hopes and dreams beyond marriage? Did she spend all those years studying towards a career only to chuck it all in and become Goblin Queen?

Pondering her predicament, Sarah heard a knock at the door which signalled Hoggle's arrival. She greeted him warmly, but he could see she was distracted.

"I'm just so damn confused," she confessed as she slumped back on the bed.

Her conflicting feelings for Jareth were threatening to undo her resolve to escape and return home.

The little dwarf pulled up a chair and offered his help in any way he could, although he was mindful of the Goblin King's warning and fearful of the bog.

"I need to get away from this castle, and from him. I can't trust anything, especially myself, not while I'm this close to him. If I could only find a way to break the returning spell, I could at least get out of here. I have to find a way to make Jareth powerless over me like I did before," Sarah poured out all the problems she needed to solve.

She wasn't sure what good escaping from the castle would do her, not when there was still the labyrinth to contend with. But she had to believe there was some way to get back home.

"You don't have anything made from iron, do you?" she inquired, recalling her chat with the shopkeeper in London.

It was reputedly potent in weakening and warding off the fae.

Sarah knew she wouldn't risk harming or killing Jareth, but it might assist her in breaking through his magic and gaining some advantage against him.

"It won't do you no good, not against His Majesty. He's a noble born fae of the Inbetween Lands. Iron is only harmful to common faeries, not the highborn," Hoggle explained.

"The Inbetween Lands?" she queried, realising how little she knew about the place or the Goblin King.

The little dwarf glanced warily around, eventually reasoning that the Goblin King hadn't forbidden him from giving his friend a geography lesson.

"This world is mades up of four separate realms. Firstly, there's the Light Lands where the good folks live; thems the ones who never do anything nasty. Then there's the Dark Lands where the evil creatures dwell. That sort never do no one no good. We are in the Inbetween Lands, where the folks ain't neither all good, nor all bad. We can be either, or both at the same time, I suppose," he explained.

"What's the fourth realm?" Sarah asked.

Hoggle took on a solemn expression. "That's the Land of Unbeing; it's where immortals go when they've had enough of living. They chooses their favourite memory and then they spends the rest of eternity in a repeating dream of that one special moment," he said.

She supposed it was a sort of heaven and it didn't sound so bad. Sarah pondered over the memory she would want to relive over and over. All she could think of was dancing with Jareth and then him kissing her. She mentally shook off the image and the associated yearnings. If she ever wanted to see her family and home again, keeping a clear head was vital. It served to remind her why she urgently needed to get out of that castle and away from the Goblin King, while she still could.

"There must be some way of breaking through Jareth's magic; he's got to have at least one weak spot, surely?" She speculated, looking to her friend because she suspected he knew a lot more than he was letting on.

Hoggle evasively fiddled with a thread on his shirt. Risking a glance upwards, he found Sarah glaring expectantly at him.

"I'd say you're Jareth's weak spot," he eventually said as he continued to look shifty.

"What aren't you telling me? She verbally prodded at him. "I know there's something you're hiding."

"Argh, you're gonna gets me in so much trouble," the little dwarf shrieked. "I don't knows nothing, only that words have power and that means books do too," he said.

Sarah was none the wiser.

"How does that help me?" She queried with irritation.

Hoggle shrugged and she fiercely glared at him again.

"Oh alright," the dwarf screeched. _What was a dip in the bog anyway next to true friendship?_  "I did once hears tell of a fae prince who wanted to escape the amorous clutches of a sorceress. He tricked her into revealing the spell book that held the origin of her magic and by destroying it; he temporarily robbed her of her powers. While she was defenceless, he was able to banish her forever to the Dark Lands. I heards the same thing works for books used to summon the fae," he explained.

Sarah chewed her bottom lip as she mulled over her friend's story. Her eyes grew wide as a thought occurred to her. The Labyrinth book held the key to her defeat of Jareth the first time around and maybe it could do so again. It was worth a try, she reasoned, deciding it was time for another trip to the library.

 


	10. Chapter 10

_**I don't know you** _

_**But I want you** _

_**All the more for that** _

_**Words fall through me** _

_**And always fool me** _

_**And I can't react** _

_**And games that never amount** _

_**To more than they're meant** _

_**Will play themselves out…** _

 

_**Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova** _

 

Sarah reached over to the nightstand and picked up the small family photograph she usually carried around in her purse. It had been taken at Toby's eighth birthday and showed her father, stepmother and brother smiling, as she held up his fairy tale castle-shaped cake. Her eyes filled with tears as she wondered whether she would ever see them again. If only there was a way she could somehow have the best of both worlds, she sighed.

The night was drawing in and Sarah decided a soak in her luxurious en-suite bathtub would be most welcome. She poured in a generous helping of lavender scented oil, as it was reputed for its relaxing properties and she needed something soothing. Jareth really had tried to cater for her every whim and she made a mental note to be sure to thank him for his consideration. It didn't change the fundamental fact that she was there without her consent. But his efforts to please her touched her heart all the same.

Sarah laid out a selection of nightwear on her bed and was unable to choose between them. Her own pyjamas were familiar and comfortable. They were the obvious choice, but she felt daring. There were also two satin and lace nightgowns which were part of the wardrobe Jareth had had prepared for her. One was black and the other red. He once accused her of making him live up to her expectations of him. She looked down at the slinky nightgowns and wondered if she'd be doing the same for his expectations by wearing them. They were meant for a queen and a woman sure of her ability to please a man. Sarah felt woefully inadequate and uncertain of her capabilities on both counts.

Jareth hesitated before entering Sarah's room because he knew she wasn't going to like what he had to tell her. There was no avoiding it, though, not if he wanted to keep her by his side forever. He knocked on the door using the crystal on the top of his swagger stick and waited for her to invite him in. There was no reply and so he tentatively stepped into the room.

"Sarah?" He called out for her as momentary panic gripped his heart.

Realistically, he knew there was no way she could have escaped. But still, the thought of losing her made him temporarily insane.

The bathroom door opened and she appeared, wearing only a towel. Her long dark brown hair was wet and dripping water all over the marble floor.

"Sorry, I guess I forgot to hang the do not disturb sign on the door," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Jareth was momentarily thrown off-balance and fought to maintain his composure.

"I could leave and return in a short while," he offered.

Sarah blushed as they held each other's gaze a fraction too long and she became very acutely aware of her state of undress.

"Just give me five minutes and I'll be right with you," she said as she disappeared back into the bathroom.

The Goblin King wandered over to the bed and sat down on it. Realising with horror that it might give her the wrong impression to find him lounging on there, he leapt back up. His frenetic movement caused her selection of satin nightwear to slide off the bed and onto the floor. Swooping to retrieve it, he felt a shiver of anticipation as he touched the soft fabric.

Sarah realised with mortification that she had taken no clothing in the bathroom to change into. Risking a covert peek through the crack in the door, she stifled a giggle. It was with great amusement, she saw Jareth unwittingly scatter her nightwear onto the floor and then struggle to put it back exactly the way it was before he'd blundered in. Having made no definite selection, she decided to leave the choice to him. Sarah wasn't much of a gambler, but she would be willing to bet that he'd go for the black satin and lace.

"Would you be so kind as to hand me my night attire?" She called out to him.

Jareth wasn't to be so easily outfoxed. Instead, he did precisely as she requested, knowing what she expected of him. Pacing back and forth, he anxiously waited for her to re-emerge, which she duly did.

Dressed in her own Cami-top-pyjamas and with her damp hair combed away from her face, Sarah began replacing the satin nightgowns on their hangers.

"These are lovely, but they're not really my style, thanks anyway," she said, wondering all the while why Jareth hadn't chosen one of them for her to wear.

His unpredictability unnerved her as did his nearness when she was so exposed.

He stood motionless; his mouth slightly agape, as his eyes trailed over her thinly covered curves.

"So?" She questioned to shake him from his stupor. "What do you want?"

The Goblin King quickly recovered his masterful demeanour and decided to risk taking a seat next to her on the bed. When she didn't move away from him, he gently cupped her chin in one of his gloved hands.

"In the morning, I will be taking you to meet my family. I have a few matters I must attend to while I'm there and they insist on seeing you before the wedding," he explained.

"The in-laws, huh?" Sarah scowled. "What if they hate me and refuse to give their blessing to our marriage? That would be a real tragedy," she jested.

Jareth fixed her with a disapproving stare.

"I am willing to take you just as you are my little rebel. But my family will not be so accommodating," he warned. "My father is the High King of the Inbetween Lands and he wields enormous power. We will be entering a perilous environment and I need you to be on your very best behaviour. You must promise to do everything I say, or else I will be forced to do something I would rather not."

"What?" She questioned with growing fear.

He decided it was better to show and not tell. Staring deep into her eyes, she felt herself begin to fall under his glamour. It was as if she was being pulled down into a deep pool and no matter how hard she tried to claw her way back up, it was no use.

"Kiss me, Sarah," Jareth commanded and she willingly complied. "I could make you do anything while you are under my thrall. Anything," he whispered the last part into her ear as he ran a gloved finger down her bare shoulder. "But I won't." He released her.

She recovered her senses and landed a slap on the Goblin King's smug face.

He laughed and rubbed at his cheek.

"I told you, I would prefer not to have to resort to that because I want the real you, quick temper and all. But please do be warned, if you refuse to obey me I will use it, it's for your own safety," Jareth cautioned.

Sarah studied him for a moment and decided he looked sincere enough. She could never be completely sure with him, though, and that was the problem. _How could she ever trust someone she knew to be an actor, liar and magician?_  She then felt a prod of guilt as she thought about her own plan to deceive him. Glancing over at the nightstand, she spied the copy of The Labyrinth she'd recovered from the library. The idea of destroying a book didn't sit well with her and she wanted to believe that was the reason for her procrastination. But Sarah feared she was only deceiving herself.

Jareth started to get up to leave, but she reached out to still him.

"Don't go just yet," she pleaded.

He looked very alluring in his cream ruffled poet's shirt which revealed quite an expanse of chest. Resuming his seat, he threw her a curious glance as she tentatively reached out to touch the sickle-shaped amulet that hung around his neck.

"It's my family sigil," he explained.

"It's beautiful," Sarah said as she traced her finger around the curved indentations.

Jareth watched her with fascination.

"I have one for you to wear after we're married," he said.

Sarah experienced a sudden rush of emotion and a single tear began to trickle down her cheek. He used his thumb to wipe it away, confused by the change in her mood.

"You know what's crazy?" She asked in a trembling voice. "I had such a crush on you, after the first time we met, and I guess that feeling never really went away. If only I'd been brought here under different circumstances it could have been so different. I don't know, maybe if you'd asked me, I might have said yes."

Confessing more than she'd meant to, Sarah wasn't sure why she had. It could have been because she was plotting to return home when a traitorous part of her was beginning to wonder if staying and surrendering would be so bad.

The Goblin King was moved by her honesty and he experienced an unfamiliar emotion, which he identified as shame. It was following his own selfish desires which led them to this situation; if only he could have trusted her to come to him willingly. He knew, in his heart, he would never have taken the chance. She had to be by his side forever, at any cost.

"You'd better get some sleep, we've got a long day on the morrow," Jareth said, his voice betraying his melancholy mood.

Sarah nodded and dutifully slid beneath the bedcovers.

"Will you read to me?" She implored him. "I so enjoyed hearing you recite Shakespeare, I'd love to listen to you reading out one of my favourite stories."

The request bewildered him until he glanced over at the books on her nightstand. His eyes narrowed as they fell upon the copy of The Labyrinth she'd procured. He wondered if she knew its power and then promptly dismissed the idea.  _How could she know?_  No one knew. Sarah was slyly observing his reaction and it was enough to convince her she might be onto something with the book.

Jareth rose to his feet and moved away from the bed.

"Another time, my dearest, you really should go to sleep." He manifested a crystal ball in the palm of his hand and then blew it towards her as if it were as light as a soap bubble.

The room filled with the gentle hypnotic sound of a soothing lullaby and Sarah found it impossible to keep her eyes open.

With a wave of his hand, Jareth vanished the book to a place where it would be permanently out of harm's way. Taking one last tender look at his sleeping beauty, he faded from the room.

 


	11. Chapter 11

 

_**Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related for better or for worse...and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum.** _

 

_**Rick Riordan, The Sea of Monsters** _

 

Sarah tried to be disappointed, even if she wasn't surprised, that The Labyrinth book was missing from the nightstand when she awoke. A knock at her door brought with it breakfast and the delivery of three neatly stacked white boxes. Attached to the first box was a note from Jareth, instructing her that she must wear the outfit contained within. Firstly, there was a full-length white satin gown with an exquisite silver leaf pattern embroidered all over it. Next, she discovered a flowing silver cloak trimmed with white fur. Finally, there was a shoe box, which held silver jewel-encrusted heeled pumps. It was all very beautiful, but not very practical for travelling in.  _How typical of the Goblin King to think of style over comfort,_  Sarah thought with a roll of her eyes.

Not feeling hungry, but unsure when she would eat again, she quickly ate her breakfast and started to get ready. It was the first time she'd given any serious consideration to the prospect of meeting Jareth's family. Hell, until last night, she didn't even know he had one. It's not as if she imagined he'd simply poofed into existence. Although, it wouldn't have surprised her if he had. Regardless, she didn't ask for any of this, and yet she did feel nervous about making a good impression.

Sarah didn't know what to expect from a high king, but he sounded a lot more important than a regular one. She had already been warned about his powers and worried he might turn her into a frog if he didn't think she was good enough for his son. Her mind began to wander and she couldn't help speculating on what her father, stepmother, and Toby would make of Jareth. Although, she half suspected her brother would most likely welcome him with open arms.

A knock at the door signalled the arrival of her presumptuous husband-to-be.

"Your beauty knows no equal," he said as he came over to stand behind her. "It radiates from within and that is a rare thing; here among the fae, at least."

Sitting at the vanity unit putting the finishing touches to her hair, Sarah blushed at his compliment and the want in his stare. The Goblin King held out a large black velvet jewellery box for her to take. She hesitantly reached out to accept it, her face clouded with uncertainty.

"The magnificence of these jewels pale into insignificance next you, but I would like you to wear them all the same," he explained.

Carefully opening the box, she beheld an emerald necklace with matching earrings and hair clips. The stones were marquise cut, giving them the appearance of leaf shapes. In her mind, Sarah heard an echo of a line she knew from the musical, Gigi.  _Only the most beautiful emeralds contain that miracle of elusive blue._ It wasn't as if the Goblin King wanted her for his mistress, she reminded herself. She would be his wife and queen, not a courtesan.

"Thank you," she gasped, admiring her gift.

Never did she imagine anyone would give her such an exquisite present. Her eyes misted over as Jareth helped her put the jewellery on. Standing up to face him, she reached out her hands for his. Both were wearing soft white leather gloves. He was dressed in a regal looking outfit which was more formal and dignified than his usual attire. The dark green velvet topcoat and silver white breeches complimented her dress and jewels.

Sarah gave him a warm smile. "Lots of girls dream of being fairy tale princesses, but not many actually get to be one. I wouldn't want you to think I'm not grateful for all of this." She truly did appreciate his generosity, despite the circumstances. "You look great, by the way," she shyly admitted.

The Goblin King appeared surprised and genuinely touched by her compliment.

She wanted to say more but settled for giving him a brief hug.

Jareth let himself savour her closeness because he knew her favourable opinion of him wouldn't last. Once she discovered the true purpose of their visit to see his family, she would no doubt revert back to professions of hatred and hostility. Unfortunately, he couldn't see any other way of getting what he wanted. He had already decided to pursue his goal at all costs.

* * *

Sarah was relieved to discover there wouldn't be much actual travel involved in their journey to visit Jareth's family, not the conventional kind anyway. His method of transportation was better than anything the Starship Enterprise had to offer, she thought with a giggle. The couple materialised at the start of a long wide pathway, which was bordered on both sides with magnificent spiral-shaped topiary trees and marble statues. A grand castle with seven turrets stood at the end of their walk. Inside, the royal family indifferently awaited their arrival.

"My parents are called Hareth and Elphina, but you should use the term Your Highest Majesty to address them both," Jareth instructed. "Your grace will suffice for my brother," he sneered.

"You have a brother?" Sarah was surprised.

He nodded with a look of distaste. "Yes, Kareth and I are twins. Although, I am the eldest by thirteen minutes. Our parents thought it amusing to name us alphabetically, being as J comes before K, which says all you need to know about their sense of humour," he dryly commented.

"You've never mentioned him before, is all." She was curious to know more.

Jareth gave a jaded sigh.

"Ever since Kareth was old enough to understand I was father's rightful heir by birth, and not him, his resentment of me has known no bounds. The irony being that he's more supremely suited to royal duty than I will ever be. His capacity for tedium is limitless, which is no great surprise as he himself is a prize-winning bore. Tragically, he has all the ambition and none of the wits to do anything about it. I hoped never to have to inflict my family upon you. Almost two thousand years apart from them has not made me yearn for their company, but needs must."

"So why are we here?" Sarah questioned with growing unease.

He brought them to a halt a short distance from the castle.

"Before I tell you, I would ask that you remember that I can take control of your mind at any time," he warned.

"Oh good, an explanation that starts with a threat, this is gonna go well," she snorted.

Jareth ignored her sarcasm and fixed her with his stare.

"I am immortal, and in order for you and any children we might have to be so, I must have father's blessing for our marriage. The High King is the only one who can sanction the use of the infinity cup and administer the blood of our ancestors; The Soulless Ones," he explained.

Sarah let the information sink in.

"Well, that all sounds perfectly gross," she grimaced. "I think you'd better make with the Jedi mind control before I tell the High King where he can stick his infinity cup," she said.

"You think I would marry you and then watch you die?" Jareth growled with anger. "I want you forever, Sarah, do you understand?"

She already assumed immortality was part of the deal that came with marrying him. He led her to believe as much with all his talk of them spending eternity together. But without the High King's blessing, she would remain mortal, and so there was a choice of sorts.  _Did she even want to live forever?_  The legendary quests of humans to find the Fountain of Youth were enduring myths. However, she suspected the reality of it was far less romantic.

"Maybe your father won't grant your wish and then what will you do?" Sarah asked.

"Whatever it takes," Jareth replied.

* * *

The Goblin King and his intended were led into the grand hall by a rotund elf. He announced them as High Prince Jareth and his human companion. There was a plush deep purple carpet running towards a raised dais. The High King and Queen were seated atop it on elaborately carved high-backed wooden thrones. Above them was a rich canopy of fresh flowers of all kinds and colours. High Prince Kareth was seated off to their left, and an empty seat awaited Jareth on the right. He didn't take it. Instead, he performed a low bow for his parents before addressing each of his family members in turn. When he introduced Sarah, she felt compelled to curtsy, despite not being instructed to do so. The High King and Queen's attention seemed to be solely focused on their eldest son, with only Kareth keeping his gaze fixed critically on her. Sarah noted he was almost identical in appearance to his brother, except for his eyes, which were matching blue, unlike Jareth's. If his parents had been mortal, she would have said they looked to be in their mid-fifties by human standards. The royal couple wore permanently bored expressions and possessed the kind of preserved good looks Sarah expected from older Hollywood stars, but not the ones who went to hack plastic surgeons. All three of them had flowing manes of silver-blond hair, which was neatly styled, unlike Jareth's wild locks.

"Isn't it a marvel how quickly wayward sons can find their way home when they want to beg a favour." High King Hareth's voice boomed around the hall. "I suppose being King of the Goblins is a time-consuming business. Filthy creatures," he roared with contempt.

It was the first time Sarah had seen Jareth look so humbled. Instead of savouring the moment, she felt strangely adrift, finding she preferred his usual cocksure demeanour. It didn't suit him to be so subservient.

"Let the human step forward," Hareth commanded and, after looking to the Goblin King for assurance, she tentatively obeyed.

"You always did have an eye for the unremarkable." The queen disdainfully observed to her son's fury.

"Will you grant my request or not? I'm sure we've all got other things we'd rather be getting on with," Jareth impatiently snapped.

He noted his brother was watching him squirm with smug satisfaction.

High King Hareth regarded his first born son with a severe glare.

"We've got all the time in the world, my son, unlike the human," he sneered. "However, if you immediately renounce this silly business of being Goblin King, turn that fake kingdom of yours into dust, and resume your rightful place here, with your family, I will grant your human immortality," the High King set out his terms.

Jareth drew in a deep breath and glanced over at his beloved.

"Deal," he said.

"NO!" Sarah and Kareth both cried out in unison.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

_**Dreams do come true if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.** _

 

_**J.M Barrie, Peter Pan** _

 

The High King scowled hard at his youngest son, immediately silencing Kareth's protests, and then he turned his attention to Sarah.

"What exactly are you objecting to, human?" He demanded to know.

Attempting to mask her fear, she looked to Jareth for support. She could tell from his body language that he wanted her to say as little as possible. It appeared he was even toying with the idea of answering for her as his mouth opened as if to speak. The choice before him was to either condemn his kingdom or Sarah to dust. Without immortality, she would grow old and die. Kingdoms could be rebuilt, but she was irreplaceable.

"Well?" the High King roared losing what little patience he possessed.

Sarah gulped. "I don't want to see anything destroyed and I don't want to live forever, I just want to go home," she whimpered.

It was one thing to be coerced into marrying the Goblin King, and she had to admit she'd been warming to the idea. But it was quite another matter to be stranded with his vile family for all eternity; her blossoming feelings for Jareth would not stretch to that. She couldn't believe he was willing to destroy the life he'd known for almost two thousand years. _What would become of Hoggle and the rest of her friends?_  Somehow, she had to make him understand that the price for getting what he wanted was far too high.

Kareth could contain his anger no longer, and even at the risk of incurring his father's wrath, he stood up to confront his brother.

"This is completely unacceptable, you don't get to swoop in and usurp me for a second time. You made the choice to turn your back on your birth right, so go back to your filthy goblins and take your ungrateful wretch of a human with you," he growled.

Jareth was incandescent with rage and he grabbed his twin by the throat.

"You will never refer to Sarah in such a disrespectful way ever again, do you understand?" He warned as Kareth began to choke and splutter.

"Enough," Hareth bellowed loud enough to make the servants jump a foot into the air. "If a male of any species wishes for a life of happiness and contentment, he should never father children," he groaned.

Jareth reached out to put a protective arm around Sarah's waist, but she shrank away from him.

"Whatever are we to do, my dear Elphina?" the High King turned to his wife for counsel.

The queen looked contemplative for a long moment, and then her face broke into a wicked grin. It was all well and good to be immortal, but living for a long time could be dreadfully dull. She had an idea, which could provide both entertainment and a solution to their family strife.

"I've heard such stories about the Goblin King's exploits, some of which no mother would ever wish to hear about her own son." She raised an eyebrow at the reports of his legendary prowess with the opposite sex.

Sarah felt herself blush, although she wasn't really sure why, which seemed to amuse Elphina all the more.

"Doesn't the Goblin King give humans thirteen hours to solve his labyrinth and win back the things they've wished away?" the queen asked her eldest son.

Jareth warily confirmed her assumption with a nod of his head.

"That sounds like supreme fun!" She clapped her hands together with glee.

Hareth did not seem to share his wife's enthusiasm.

"I say we challenge our sons and the human to solve our Grand Labyrinth. We will give them thirteen hours to do so. Jareth and Kareth will use no magic, upon pain of immediate disqualification. All three will each compete to win their heart's desire, plus one forfeit to be decided by you, my dear. Winner takes all." Elphina turned to her husband who was equal parts horrified and fascinated by her suggestion.

The High King could imagine how watching humans fail might be mildly diverting, but to involve his own family in such a spectacle would surely be a step too far. The queen sensed his struggle and continued to argue her point.

"Our sons have never had to earn anything in their wretched lives, it will do them good. This human once bested the Goblin King and now he wants to marry her, let's see whose will is stronger," she challenged.

Jareth, Kareth and Sarah listened with horror throughout the high king and queen's debate. Each of them began to protest in the strongest possible terms. But their objections fell on deaf ears as Hareth delivered his judgement.

"The more I think about it, the more enticing the idea becomes." He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Jareth, if you accept the challenge and win, I will make your human immortal. Your forfeit as the winner will be all I have already requested of you. Kareth, if you win, I will officially name you as my successor. Your forfeit will be to marry Lady Rowana. I know you have a history of mutual loathing, but her family is almost as old as ours, and she will be your queen. Your eternal lives will be an unending misery." Hareth chuckled as his sons grimaced.

The High King turned finally to Sarah.

"Human, in the unlikely event of your victory, you will get to go home. Your forfeit will be that if you do so, you will never see Jareth again, ever. I know you love him, foolish child, and you will be glad to keep your mortality so that your yearning for what you can never have might eventually come to an end."

Sarah was as angry as she was upset, and couldn't bear to meet Jareth's questioning gaze. Although she was loath to admit it, it was true, she did love him, but she also hated him for putting them both in such an awful predicament.

Kareth had been puzzling over everyone's terms, and he wasn't satisfied.

"If the human were to win, how would that settle things between me and Jareth?" He queried.

"Stupid boy, if you both lose then nothing will change regarding your succession. Becoming high king is your dream, not his, so you'd better be sure to win." Hareth scolded his youngest son.

"So, do you all accept the challenge?" The king bellowed as the queen looked on with anticipation.

Millennia could pass without the hope of such a thrilling diversion, and Elphina was determined to make the most of it.

Sarah made a momentous decision and turned to Jareth, clasping his hands in hers.

"I'll marry you and I'll love you as a wife should, but only if you remain Goblin King. Don't destroy your kingdom and the homes of all the creatures that live there. I don't even want to be immortal, and even if I did, I wouldn't want you to pay such a high price for it. We can be happy together, even if it's not forever," she pleaded with him.

She didn't want to sacrifice the only chance she might have of returning home to save another place with a claim on her heart, but she was willing to all the same.

Jareth wore a pained expression as he battled against his better instincts. He wanted to take her back to his castle and straight to his bed. But he simply couldn't bear the thought of ever losing her, and if there was a chance of winning the challenge, he had to take it.

"I accept, father," he said.

Sarah turned away in despair, feeling like her heart was shattering into pieces.

Kareth was next in accepting and declared his intention of winning; although he made it clear he was appalled by the indignity of it all.

"Well, human, do not keep us in suspense, do you accept?" The High King fixed her in with his steely gaze.

Sarah stepped away from Jareth;  _if he was willing to destroy everything she loved, why should she stay?_

"I'm in," she said. "There's nothing here for me now."

_Why, solving a labyrinth is a piece of cake,_ she thought. It was what happened afterwards, that was the tricky part.

 


	13. Chapter 13

_**If you're going through hell, keep going.** _

 

_**Winston Churchill** _

 

The Grand Labyrinth was at least three times the size of the Goblin King's more modest maze. It appeared much more intimidating too. The whole thing was part of the sprawling royal lands that stretched out far beyond the horizon. In years gone by, it was used for protection and punishment but now, it was mainly decorative. The High King and queen had fashioned the Grand Labyrinth to their own particular whims and fancies. It was situated a fair distance from the castle and the royal party transported to the perimeter. As the royal couple conjured up three entry points, one for each of the challengers, the outer wall adjusted accordingly. There was to be only one exit and the first one to reach the finish line would be declared the winner.

Jareth magically transformed his and Sarah's outfits into something more sporting. She requested her own sweatshirt, jeans and running shoes. He reverted to his familiar Goblin King attire, of a frilly white shirt, black breeches, boots and high-collared leather jacket. Kareth appeared to have selected some sort of military uniform, with jacket and breeches in various shades of green. His long silver-blond hair was swept back in a neat ponytail in stark contrast to his twin's wild mane. Jareth tried to talk to Sarah, but she wouldn't hear him. He had made his choice and she would have to live with the consequences, win or lose. His innate arrogance refused to let him entertain the possibility he might not win, or that she could.

Eager to get the entertainment underway, the High Queen impatiently hustled the competitors to their places. The High King manifested three crystal balls, which would be used to monitor their respective progressions through the labyrinth. Jareth, Kareth and Sarah were each handed a pocket watch marked with thirteen hours. The High Princes were reminded that no magic powers were to be used and any breach of that rule would result in immediate disqualification for the guilty party.

"No harm will come to any of you while you are inside the Grand Labyrinth," Hareth promised.

"Such a pity," Elphina sighed with disappointment.

"Nothing that would leave a permanent scar, at any rate," the High King joined his wife in a hearty chuckle.

Jareth felt a stab of fear for Sarah and cursed himself for being such a selfish being. He vehemently protested against any harm coming to his beloved but was silenced by his father.

"We couldn't injure her any worse than you have already done. I promise you she will be undamaged, physically at least, by the end of the challenge, beyond that who can say?" Hareth gave his eldest son a disdainful glare.

Kareth huffed with restless irritation, as he had no time for love, and even less so where his brother was concerned.

The three challengers were ordered to make ready and then given a countdown from thirteen to start.

"Remember, victory is all," the High Queen's voice echoed after them as they ran into the labyrinth.

Sarah heard Jareth calling out to her and she hesitated for a moment. If she won, she would never see him again, and angry as she was with him, it was a terrible thought. But when her distracted attention almost caused her to almost collide with a wall, it reignited her indignation.

"Damn you, Jareth, this is all your fault," she yelled, before running deeper into the maze.

The high stone walls seemed endless as she searched fruitlessly for hidden passageways along the way. After taking a few more turns, a low hissing sound caught her attention and she advanced cautiously towards its source. She swung around a corner, expecting to find the hisser waiting for her there, only to discover the path was clear. The noise grew louder and she glanced up to see a huge green and black striped snake slithering along the top of the wall. Sarah clasped her hand over her mouth to muffle a shriek of horror. The snake was alerted to her presence and lowered its head down towards her so that it was only inches away from her face.

"Well, issssn't this nicccce," it hissed. "I don't get much company."

"Sorry, can't stop, gotta keep going." She tried to scurry past the slippery character.

The snake plopped down in a vast coiled mound in front of her feet.

"No one may passss unlessss I say sssso," it informed her, its forked tongue flicking in and out of its mouth as it spoke.

Sarah looked to dodge around it, but the creature swayed from side to side to prevent her.

"I like sssshiny thingssss, give me ssssomething for my collection and I'll let you passss," it hissed.

The Goblin King had replaced the jewels he'd gifted her with her own things, including the moonstone heart-shaped pendant she'd been given by the owner of Henson's Emporium. The shopkeeper told her it was for good luck and finding true love, but it seemed to have failed on both counts. Sarah was willing to marry Jareth and to love him for as long as she lived. But he'd rejected what she offered, in favour of pursuing his desire to keep her forever on his own terms. It appeared he only wanted her if she was eternally young and beautiful. Sarah believed true love should transcend such superficialities, and if it didn't, then it wasn't.

Undoing the clasp on her necklace, she held it aloft.

"You can have this," she offered.

The snake moved in for a closer look and allowed her to hook the chain over its head.

"Pretty ladiessss sssshould be careful who they give their heart too," it said.

"Ain't that the truth?" She exclaimed as the snake slithered back up the wall allowing her to continue unimpeded.

* * *

Jareth was growing increasingly suspicious at the lack of obstacles in his path. His parents obviously wanted him to win and instead of being pleased, he felt slighted. He didn't need their help to triumph over his dullard brother or his beloved Sarah. She was brave, determined, quick-witted and so much more, but she was no match for him. The first time around in his labyrinth, he practically let her win, but his parents would not be so generous with her. Jareth let his attention wander from the task at hand, so much so he failed to notice the ground was crumbling beneath his feet. In short order, he found he was spiralling at speed down a helter-skelter slide until he landed with an undignified thud at the bottom.  _Pride comes before a fall,_  he bitterly thought as he rubbed his bruised posterior. Somewhere up ahead, there was a flickering candle, and he started walking tentatively towards it.

"Pick a door, any door," a deep voice boomed out of the darkness.

The cavern was then flooded with light to reveal three identical red doors set into the wall. Jareth checked for another way out, only to find he was trapped. He would have to make his choice.

"One door leads the right way, one door leads the wrong way, and one door leads back to the start," the voice informed him.

"How can I choose the right one? I demand a clue," the Goblin King only liked playing games he had an above average chance of winning.

"You are in a position to demand nothing," the voice reminded him, "One, two or three? Choose," it impatiently barked.

Jareth paced around as he worked through the odds and the consequences of making the wrong choice. The longer he pondered, the more time was ticking away, regardless. Thirteen hours would soon pass and he knew he could delay no longer.

"One," he growled.

"Are you sure?" The voice inquired. "What if I were to tell you that door two definitely leads the wrong way? Do you want to change your mind, or stick with door one?"

Jareth reconsidered and recalculated the odds, which suggested switching would improve his chances.

"In that case, I choose three," he said.

"Very well then, on you go," the voice instructed him.

He opened the third door and stepped through. It led him directly out onto a stone ledge with a huge drop on the other side. Attempting to gain a steady footing, his temper got the better of him.

"Damn it all," he screeched.

At that moment, he called to mind an unflattering image of himself and his past behaviour. It had been entertaining for him and the goblins to laugh at the poor unfortunates who'd faced his labyrinth. His parents must surely be glancing into their crystal ball and mocking him now in the same way. He wasn't given to self-loathing, but he caught a glimpse of how Sarah must have seen him then and might see him still, and he didn't like it. When he turned back to the doorway, it had vanished, and in its place there was a new path to follow.

 


	14. Chapter 14

_**You feel unworthy of the throne,** _

_**You have forgotten who you are,** _

_**We all have the power of angels** _

_**And we fell from the same star.** _

_**The heart of a lion** _

_**And the lips of a child** _ _**,** _

_**One part of you is dying** _

_**And the other running wild...** _

 

_**Kings by The Pierces** _

 

The High Queen glanced disapprovingly into the crystal balls.

"You are making it too easy for Jareth, my dear," she scolded her husband.

Their eldest son was making fast progress through the labyrinth, with just over nine hours still left on the clock.

"He must win, there can be no other satisfactory outcome," Hareth insisted.

He watched with mounting exasperation as Kareth repeatedly failed to solve riddles posed to him by a large white and black spotted cat.

" _Until I am measured,_

_I am not known._

_Yet how you miss me,_

_When I have flown!_

_What am I?"_

"The answer is TIME," the High King roared as his youngest son continued to dither. "Something you are fast running out of, my boy."

The High Queen turned her attention to Sarah.

"The human is doing well; maybe we should let her win. Jareth could marry someone more suitable if she was gone. He could have his pick, and for pity's sake, he's tried enough of them out. Besides, he will still be your heir even if he loses to her," she argued.

"But he loves the mortal, and she loves him," Hareth countered.

Elphina let out a weary sigh. "When did you become such a sentimental old fool?"

"Oh, my dearest, it is one thing to have a little sport with our children, and goodness knows they both deserve it, but when it comes to matters of the heart, well, that is a serious business. We married for duty and it was extremely fortunate that we happened to fall in love. It wouldn't hurt for our sons to learn the true value of love, perhaps then they will realise there are more important things in life than getting your own way." Hareth affectionately kissed his wife's hand. "Maybe the human should win, after all," he said with a devilish twinkle in his eyes.

"Rules were made to be broken," the High Queen chuckled.

The high king was missing his regular afternoon nap and he fought back a yawn.

"I have an idea, let's wind their clocks on by a few hours," Elphina bored easily and the novelty of her plan was wearing off. "If they can't be more entertaining, they can at least be quick."

The queen forgot how time could drag when one is constantly watching the seconds tick by.

Hareth nodded his agreement as he was also growing hungry and he quickly made the announcement. His voice boomed throughout the labyrinth, as Jareth, Kareth and Sarah looked on with alarm as the hands on their pocket watches spun round. It left them with only four hours to get to the finish line.

* * *

Sarah followed the path she was on into woodland and was sure she heard voices whispering.

" _Who will she marry?"_

"Hello?" She called out. "Who's there?"

" _Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief?"_  The voices murmured close to her ears, but there were no creatures to be seen.

" _Who will give_   _the fair maiden a ring? What about the Goblin King?"_  They chanted.

Sarah let out a derisive snort. "I wouldn't marry him if he was the last man on earth, except, well, he isn't really a man, is he? And this isn't even the earth, is it? Hoggle called it the Inbetween Lands, I think. Anyway, oh heck, I just know I'm not in New York or London, anymore." She sighed realising she was essentially arguing with herself.

The path continued to wind its way through the trees until it branched off in the direction of a colourfully decorated Romany caravan. There was an old hunchbacked woman in traditional gypsy garb sat at a table and she was staring into a large crystal ball.

"Have your fortune told, pretty lady?" She called out.

"Err, thanks, but no, I've gotta get to the end of this labyrinth." Sarah politely declined and tried to hurry onwards.

To her horror, she found the path ahead was now blocked by tall, thick, and thorny bramble bushes. There didn't appear to be any way through without getting torn to ribbons.

"If you get scratched, you'll fall into a deep sleep, and you wouldn't want that now, would you?" The old woman warned her as she contemplated trying to fight her way through the thorns.

"I can help you find the way, pretty lady, come and sit for a while" the gypsy coaxed her. "Come on, let me show you your future," she cajoled.

Sarah didn't want to loiter, but as there didn't seem to be any other way out, she reluctantly trudged over to the table and took a seat.

"Cross my palm with silver and then we can begin." The old woman instructed her.

She dug around in her pockets, unsure if she had any money, and eventually pulled out a nickel.

"I'm pretty sure there's no silver in it, but it's all I have," she explained.

The gypsy seemed satisfied and she instructed Sarah to clear her mind of all thoughts.

"Look deep into the crystal ball and let it show you the way," she directed her.

There was nothing to see at first, and then white mists began to form inside the orb. They swirled around creating a hypnotic effect and then, very slowly, a picture began to emerge.

"Oh, it's me, and I'm…home," Sarah observed with rapt attention as her other-self went about her business.

Happily, she watched as she played a session of Dungeons and Dragons with her brother, gossiped with her stepmother and bickered with her father. The image shifted and she was suddenly at the school where she was training to be a teacher; an unknown man left a red rose on her desk.

"Who is that?" She questioned.

"Keep looking," the gypsy woman commanded.

The man continued to appear in the vision and, each time, he seemed to be paying her special attention. It looked like he was a fellow teacher and he rather reminded her of the actor, Tom Hanks, only with ginger hair. Apparently, his name was Tim, and he kept bringing her gifts and asking her out on dates. Sarah watched as her other self gently and repeatedly rebuffed him, until one day she gave in. The vision skipped ahead and it appeared they were dating now, only she didn't seem too happy about it, more like she was resigned to it. All of a sudden, the picture became cloudy and the mists began to swirl again.

"Hey, what the heck?" Sarah complained.

"This is only a possible future, it's what might be, not necessarily what will be," the gypsy cautioned.

The mists cleared again and the crystal ball showed an image of a bride in her wedding gown. It was impossible to get a clear view of the woman's face through the thick veil, but Sarah felt it was her. The bride vision of her was softly weeping as she reached for her bouquet.

" _Tim is a nice man, and he'll give you an uncomplicated life."_

She heard her stepmother's voice say.

" _I know, I just thought the man I married would be more than...nice. I wanted someone I'd die for, not be bored to death by."_

Her other-self lamented.

"What about someone you'd want to live forever for?" The gypsy woman asked.

For a moment, Sarah was too lost in the misery of her potential wedding day to process the question, and then something clicked in her mind.

"Oh, so that's what all this is about, huh?" Her tone was bitter. "Let's show Sarah how dull her life would be if she went back home and married a nice normal guy, instead of a vain, arrogant, selfish Goblin King, am I right?" She raged.

"Look for yourself and judge the difference." The old woman gestured towards the crystal ball.

Sarah was still angry, but reluctantly, she did as the gypsy bid and looked again into the clearing mists.

_**Walking in the snowy street** _

_**Let me understand** _

_**Drifting down a silent park** _

_**Stumbling over land** _

_**Open up your heart to me** _

_**Show me who you are** _

_**And I would be your slave…** _

_**[I Would Be Your Slave by David Bowie, from Heathen]** _

It was Jareth's voice she heard singing to her as the image of another wedding day emerged. In this vision, she was buzzing with happiness. She gazed tearfully into the orb as her other-self beamed with joy. The bride and groom danced together, lost in each other's arms, as if they were the only two beings left in the world.

"It's just more trickery and illusion," Sarah said as she dropped her gaze from the crystal ball. "If Jareth truly loved me, he would have listened to what I wanted, and we'd be back in his castle now, instead of playing this silly game with his horrid parents," she wailed.

"Careful now, human, or else I might begin to get the impression you don't really like us," the gypsy woman warned as she transformed into the High Queen before her eyes and laughed heartily at her expense.

"Your Highest Majesty," Sarah spluttered, not knowing what else to say.

"Have no fear girl, it's quite all right, we fae aren't nice beings; it just isn't in our nature. We are neither all bad, nor all good, we are mostly mischievous, but we can be cruel. Occasionally, we get the urge to do kindnesses when there is nothing in it for us, but most good deeds are motivated by expectation of reward. I don't think we are so very different from humans in many respects, except we do not share your physical weaknesses. We do very slowly age and we would grow wizened eventually, if we didn't retire to the Land of Unbeing. What Jareth wants to give you is not for the faint-hearted. Longevity can be its own kind of curse for those who cannot make the most of it. If you want a normal life and a nice husband, you should go home. We can help you," Elphina explained.

"Never mind me not liking you, you don't like me." Sarah was hurt and angry. "You don't think I'm good enough for your precious son."

The reality was that Jareth's parents wanted rid of her. It stung, and she really didn't care if the High Queen did turn her into a frog, or worse, at that moment.

Elphina burst out laughing.

"You know, the more I see of you, the more I begin to understand why my son wants to keep you," she said.

Sarah was completely perplexed.

The High Queen gave her a pitying look. "When the fae bond in marriage, it is forever. There is no divorce in this world, and our-kind do not usually get widowed. If you do not become immortal you will die. Jareth would be left alone and grieving for you until his time came to go to the Land of Unbeing, which would not be for many thousands of years," she explained. "Despite what you might think, I love my son deeply, and I do not want to see him suffer."

She gave a flick of her wrist and a small crystal ball appeared in her palm.

"It is in your hands, human. When the path clears, you can run for home and never look back, or you can hope for Jareth to triumph."

The crystal ball popped to reveal Sarah's moonstone pendant, which was last seen hanging around the neck of the snake.

"You have to decide what your heart wants, and go for it," Elphina said as she handed over the necklace and faded from view.

 


	15. Chapter 15

_**If you want something very, very badly, let it go free. If it comes back to you, it's yours forever. If it doesn't, it was never yours to begin with.** _

 

_**Anon.** _

 

Kareth peered out anxiously from his hiding place behind a huge oak tree. He was pretty sure he had outrun the troll but figured it was better to be safe than sorry. How many indignities was he expected to suffer, he wondered. Accepting the challenge seemed like a good idea when he thought he had everything to gain and nothing to lose. But now he was beginning to wonder if he'd bitten off more than he could chew. Hearing his brother's voice jeering at him from somewhere up above the treetops, Kareth spun around for a better view, which caused him to trip, fall and slide into the nearby slime pits.

Jareth was fresh from successfully completing a 'match the egg to its mother' challenge. Thanks to the goblins and their proclivities for scavenging such things, he correctly reunited a goose, a crocodile, an ostrich and a dragon with their respective offspring. The grateful friendly mother dragon offered to fly him some of the distance over the labyrinth, and as it wasn't against the rules, he accepted. Gaining the chance to witness the spectacle of his brother's mounting humiliations was merely a delightful bonus.

"Dragon set my son down on the ground this instant."

The high king's thunderous voice startled the creature causing it to send Jareth crashing to earth. Fortunately for him, he landed on a soft bed of spongy moss.

"You...you always get it so easy," Kareth waved his finger around in anger as he scrambled out of the slime pits and staggered towards his brother. "All because you happened to pop out of mother first, and even though one of your eyes was damaged in the process, it didn't do you any harm. The ladies love you and your little imperfection, I know because I've had years of them telling me how wonderful you are." He jabbed at his twin's chest. "This whole fiasco is your doing and I won't let you get away with it. The throne should be mine, I deserve it and I've earned it too. I'm the one who's been patient and loyal for the best part of five thousand years. While you were off gallivanting, I put up with mother's henpecking and father's constant putdowns. I'll see you sent packing back to those filthy stinking goblins if it's the last thing I do," he raged.

"Oh, boo hoo, little brother," Jareth mocked. "Maybe if you'd done more than bitch and sulk during all of your miserable existence, our father might have named you as his heir long ago. Instead, all your whining about being second best has turned it into a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Kareth lunged at his twin and wrapped his hands around his throat, just because you couldn't kill someone, it didn't mean you couldn't hurt them. The brothers scuffled, exchanging blows and insults until they both succumbed to temporary exhaustion. While they were otherwise engaged, the landscape changed around them. All that remained now was for them to face and conquer the final challenge; the mirror maze.

There were less than two hours remaining for the three challengers to get to the finish line. Jareth forced himself back up onto his feet. His determination to win drove him on, and he delivered one last spiteful kick to his twin before running for the maze entrance. He hoped Sarah was okay and worried his parents were tormenting her. However, if they managed to keep her distracted but safe while he crossed the finish line, he would be forever in their debt. Even if she couldn't appreciate it now, he was doing all this for her, and one day she would be grateful. If it took an eternity to make it up to her, at least they would have that time together.

"Not so fast, Goblin King," Kareth sprinted after his brother and followed him into the maze.

"Find your own way for once," Jareth sneered as he fought to maintain his slender lead.

The brothers first faced rows of distorted mirrors that bent their reflections into amusing and grotesque shapes. The distraction was impossible for them to resist no matter how hard they tried. Both of them swiftly found themselves howling with uncontrollable laughter at their twisted mirror images. Jareth realised he needed to focus his mind if he was ever going to escape. Clenching his eyes shut, he managed to think of Sarah and he held the picture of her in his head as he made his way safely to the end of the row.

Leaving Kareth in his wake, he swung around the corner and into a long corridor which had a full-length mirror at its end. The Goblin King set off running towards it. He watched with surprise as the image of his beloved appeared in it. She was somewhere inside the maze and appeared transfixed by a reflection that showed her ageing at an alarming rate.

"Sarah?" he called out to her.

It didn't seem like she was able to hear him and she began to weep.

"Oh, my precious darling," he cried, "I will never let you wither and die."

The only way out of the corridor seemed to be through the mirror itself. Jareth was not to be conquered by a sheet of glass and he determinedly launched himself at it. At first, he felt as if he was floating inside a bubble until the sound of shattering glass sent him hurtling into the darkness. Landing heavily, but not painfully, he got to his feet. There was a glimmer of light shining up ahead and he raced towards it. Emerging unexpectedly on a dance floor which was illuminated by coloured lights and six spinning mirror balls, he ground to a halt. A rock beat began to play and he felt irresistibly compelled to wiggle his hips in time to the music. Jareth couldn't break free and was only able to move away when silence fell once more. Taking a quick look at his pocket watch to see there was under an hour remaining, he ran as fast as he could for the exit.

The path led him to yet another row of mirrors. Again, they tried to distract him, this time with images of his past romantic conquests. Giving a cursory glance at the females he'd known but not loved, it only confirmed what he already knew; none of them could compare to Sarah. For a moment, he was sure he'd caught a glimpse of her dark brown hair up ahead. Jareth ignored the pull of the mirrors as he raced to the end of the line. He swung around the corner, calling out her name with increasing desperation and gasping with surprise as he almost collided with her.

"Sarah," his voice was choked with emotion as he pulled her into a fierce embrace.

After a moment spent savouring the feel of her in his arms, he drew back slightly to capture her lips with his own. She didn't resist, but he could see her sage green eyes were red from crying and that pained him.

"It's almost over, my precious one, and soon we will be together forever," he whispered soothingly into her ear as he tenderly stroked her hair.

"Do you truly love me, Jareth?" Sarah questioned as she pulled away from him.

A look of confusion crossed his features as if he couldn't even comprehend her need to ask.

"My love for you reaches further than the stars and is deeper than the deepest ocean. It knows no end and it will last beyond eternity," he vowed.

Sarah gazed searchingly into his eyes. "But do you love me enough to let me go?" she asked.

Jareth was outraged and he possessively pulled her back into his arms.

"Sarah, you are mine, don't you understand?" He beseeched her as he attempted to kiss her again.

She evaded him, stepping backwards until she was stood next to a large arch-shaped mirror. The Goblin King watched in frozen horror as Kareth appeared from the other side of the glass and pulled her through it.

"SARAH," Jareth howled in anguish.

He dove in after them but the room was a mass of reflections and distortions. The walls, ceilings and floors were all mirrored and it made him feel disorientated. Unable to distinguish reality from illusion, he was left grasping at thin air. In desperation, he pursued their shadows, shattering glass as he went in a bid to separate truth from imitation.

"Let her go, Kareth," he demanded with a menacing hiss.

His twin's laughter echoed throughout the room as did Sarah's muffled cries.

"I think there's something I would like even more than being king," he trilled. "I would like to watch you fail and suffer as the only thing you truly love is taken away from you, forever," Kareth voice was dripping with glee at the prospect.

"You lay one hand on her and I will..." Jareth snarled.

"And you'll what, eh? Kill me?" His brother mocked. "You've had your way for far too long. It's high time you knew what disappointment and despair truly feels like."

Kareth dragged Sarah out onto the final stretch of the maze. The finish line was in sight at last.

"Go on human, run," he commanded.

She hesitated and he grabbed her firmly by the throat.

"Go back to where you belong or die," he threatened and squeezed mercilessly before releasing her.

Sarah spluttered as she staggered away from him and ran. Skidding to a halt just before she crossed the finish line, she realised she didn't want to be separated from Jareth for the rest of her life. She loved him, she was sure of that, even if she was still uncertain about becoming immortal. Kareth began to stalk menacingly after her and there was only one way out.

"Please, no," Jareth begged as he finally emerged from the mirror room and began sprinting towards her.

"You're too late," his twin shrieked with delight as he reached Sarah and pushed her over the finish line.

"NO!" She screamed her arms outstretched in vain.

Jareth let out an agonised roar. He set upon his brother with ferocity, raining blows down on him.

"The human wins," the High King and queen declared with relish as they materialised before her.

The royal couple encased Sarah in an enchanted bubble to prevent her from escaping or returning to the Goblin King. Their eldest son broke away from his twin and ran towards them. Throwing himself onto his knees, he begged and pleaded for his beloved to be returned to him.

"You knew the rules of the game, and we must honour them," the High King reminded him. "The human will be returned to her home and you will never see each other again."

Sarah sobbed as she pressed her hands to the bubble and Jareth pressed his to the other side. Both of them desperately wished for one last touch.

"I'll do anything, just name it," he appealed to his parents.

"Say goodbye to her then," the High Queen coldly ordered him.

"I don't want you to ever let me go," Sarah wept with despair.

Jareth squeezed his eyes shut for fear his emotions might get the better of him.

"You asked me if I loved you enough to set you free, and I do. I just don't want to ever lose you. Promise me you'll find your way back again, no matter what it takes," he begged.

"I promise," Sarah vowed as she faded from his sight.

The Goblin King bowed his head as a single tear streaked down his cheek.

 


	16. Chapter 16

_**Call it magic** _

_**Cut me into two** _

_**And with all your magic** _

_**I disappear from view** _

_**And I can't get over** _

_**Can't get over you** _

_**Still I call it magic** _

_**Such a precious jewel...** _

 

_**Magic by Coldplay** _

 

Sarah woke up surrounded by unfamiliar people and voices. She was unsure where she was or how she'd got there. There was a suitcase at her feet and an echoing nasal voice announcing flight arrivals and departures. Obviously, she was in an airport but she had no memory at all of the recent events that led her there.

"There you are. We've been looking all over for you." Her stepmother's voice pierced through her fuzzy brain.

Toby ran over and hugged her.

Sarah scooped him up in her arms and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Hey, I missed you kiddo," she said.

Feeling a deep and overwhelming sense of sadness, she was baffled regarding the reason for her melancholy. A tear dripped down her cheek and she hadn't even realised she was crying.

"You've only been gone for a week." Her stepmother rolled her eyes.

It felt much longer, and then she remembered.

"Jareth," Sarah murmured.

"The Goblin King?" Toby questioned with a surprised look.

"What nonsense are you two talking about? Let's go, I've got to get dinner ready." Irene ushered them out of the airport and they headed off to find the car.

"Did you see the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace?" Her brother bounced around excitedly impatient for details.

Sarah mustered up as much enthusiasm as she could to regale Toby and her stepmother with tales of her vacation, excluding her unplanned detour. But all the while, she couldn't stop thinking about a different castle and another royal family. As the car pulled up outside their house, she found she was glad to see the old place again. However, something felt different, like it was no longer home. Sarah needed to be alone with her thoughts and excusing herself as being tired from travelling, she dragged her luggage upstairs. Her room was the same as always, she just couldn't shake the feeling she didn't belong there anymore.

Taking a seat at her vanity, she desperately called out to her friend. "Hoggle, can you hear me?" But no reply came.

She tried doing the same for Sir Didymus and Ludo, only to be met with more silence.

_Maybe all I have to do is wish for Jareth to come and take me away,_ Sarah thought _._ She spent the best part of an hour trying out various combinations of possible right words, all to no avail.

"If only it were that simple," she sighed.

_Well, you wanted to come home and here you are,_ Sarah slumped down on her bed and clasped the moonstone pendant around her neck. She thought about how angry she was when Jareth stole her away and how meanly she'd treated him. The fae had a dark side, and she couldn't ignore that. But they could also be charming and generous when it suited them. Sarah found she could forgive Jareth for just about anything, and she had because she was in love with him. The pained expression on his face as she'd disappeared before his sight haunted her. It was as if she could see his heart actually breaking in two before her eyes. He loved her the way she always wanted to be loved, and she knew she would die for him or live forever if that's what it took. Weariness overtook her and her eyes grew heavy as she cried herself to sleep.

A soft knocking roused Sarah from her short nap. She managed a smile as Toby poked his head around the doorway.

"Can I come in?" He tentatively inquired.

"Yeah, of course, kiddo, get over here," she held her arms open for him as he jumped on the bed.

He looked thoughtful as if he'd been pondering something.

"Why did you say the Goblin King's name before? Did you see him in London?" He asked.

Sarah thought Toby had forgotten all about that as he hadn't mentioned it in the car during the journey home. She gazed deeply into her brother's kindly blue eyes, which were so unlike the wily green ones she'd inherited from her mother. His irises were almost the same shade as Jareth's, well, one of them at least. The eight-year-old was so trusting and eager to hear any tales she might care to tell him.

"I always told you that the Labyrinth was just a story. But I know you never believed me. You knew it was real all the time and that the Goblin King actually existed didn't you?" She inquired.

Toby nodded.

"So, you saw him again?" He bounced up and down with anticipation.

Sarah smiled in a sad kind of way; her sorrow at being separated from Jareth was raw.

"I have a story to tell you and it's just between us, okay kiddo?"

Her brother grinned and swore to keep the secret.

"Does it have a happy ending?" He asked.

"Not yet," she sighed.

* * *

Jareth stared achingly at the empty space which Sarah had so recently occupied. He stood as still as a statue with only his eyes betraying the depth of his heartbreak. Kareth kept his distance; his victory had already begun to lose its sweetness. It appeared his brother really did love the human more than anything else, and on reflection, he found he envied that almost as much as Jareth's status as heir. Kareth began to wonder how much he really wanted to be king if he could give up his dream so easily just to spite his twin. His determination to beat his brother at any cost had taken an extremely bitter twist, and he found to his distress, that he could take almost no pleasure from it.

The High King and queen beheld their morose offspring with dismay. As loving parents, they wanted to teach their sons a lesson or two, but it was all such hard work and no fun at all.

"We should have a spot of feasting, I'm sure that will cheer everything up. I could get the servants to scare up some entertaining company. I've heard there's a travelling troupe of wood nymph dancers who simply have to be seen to be believed. What do you say?" Elphina sought to motivate her despondent family.

Kareth beheld the bedraggled state of his clothing and that, coupled with his melancholic state of mind, left him desiring nothing more than to get cleaned up.

Hareth reached out and put his hand on Jareth's shoulder.

"We really should do something to celebrate your return home," the High King said.

His eldest son remained still, but he addressed his family in a cold clear voice.

"I lost your stupid challenge and you took my Sarah away from me. Nothing else but the superior power of your magic over mine would keep me from her and you know that. If you won't return her to me, I don't want anything from you. Not your kingdom or your throne, not one single thing. Let Kareth have it all, I don't care. I am the King of the Goblins and that's where I belong, not here. I will never see any of you ever again."

The High Queen threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Jareth, please don't be so dramatic," she scolded.

He could stand their company no longer and closing his eyes, he faded from their view.

"Well, that could have gone better," Elphina said.

* * *

The goblins were uncharacteristically subdued when Jareth materialised back in his castle. It was as if they already knew they had lost their would-be queen. The king swept through his throne room in silence and bounded up the stairs to Sarah's chamber. He paused at the entrance taking a deep breath and briefly rested his head against the wooden door. If he could wish her back to him, he would. Jareth hoped against hope she would be waiting inside for him.  _What he would have given to be greeted by one of her passionate slaps,_  he sighed, and beheld the empty room.

The clothes she'd been wearing earlier that day were spread out on the bed. Jareth had used his magic to transport them back to the castle before the Grand Labyrinth challenge. He inched closer to them and pulled off his gloves. The fabric of the dress was comfortingly soft as he held it up to his cheek; he imagined it was her skin against his. He breathed in her scent and fell down onto the bed holding the gown close to his heart.

"Oh, my darling Sarah, I shall never again know happiness," he cried.

The Inbetween Lands were a place of perpetual summertime, but Jareth's mood turned his little corner of it grey and cloudy. Rain began to fall, lightly at first as the odd splash dotted the window panes, and then the skies turned black. A violent storm raged until the Goblin King finally drifted off into a fitful slumber.

 


	17. Chapter 17

_**For whatsoever from one place doth fall,** _

_**Is with the tide unto an other brought:** _

_**For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.** _

 

_**Edmund Spenser, The Fairie Queen** _

 

Sarah picked disinterestedly at her breakfast as she thought about how strange it was to be doing mundane things again. She was about to visit the school where she would be doing her training and she felt woefully unprepared for it.

"What's wrong? You've been out of sorts ever since you got back. Vacations can't last forever you know." Her father broke into her reverie with his usual insensitivity.

Three days had passed since her return home and she was still feeling like a fish out of water.  _How was it that the Goblin King's castle seemed like a more natural environment to her now than this?_  It hadn't been that way before she left, but something had changed, or maybe it was her. Sarah was slowly realising that falling in love with Jareth meant nothing would ever be quite the same again. Their separation was causing her physical and emotional pain as if a vital part of her had been severed. Her appetite waned as did her enthusiasm for her old life. Dorothy Gale might have been happy to go back to living in black and white after Oz, but it wasn't enough for Sarah.

"Maybe you'll meet a nice guy at this school; there's gotta be some cute unattached male teachers, right?" Irene nudged her husband in an attempt to get his support, but Robert was absorbed in his morning newspaper. "How a pretty young woman like you doesn't have men lining up around the block for a date, I'll never know." Her stepmother shrugged as she collected her purse from the kitchen counter.

Sarah froze as she thought about the vision of her possible life in the gypsy's crystal ball. There were worse fates than marrying a nice man, to be sure. But anyone who wasn't Jareth would always be the wrong one.

"We'd better get moving if you don't want to be late." Irene hurried her along and yelled at Toby to fetch his school satchel.

The three of them almost sent the mailman flying in their rush to get out to the car. Robert was left to sort through the bundle of letters and parcels.

Driving in near silence, Irene was oblivious to her son's concern for his big sister. Toby promised Sarah he would do everything he could to help her get back to Jareth. The only trouble was neither of them knew of any place they could start. Both of them tried wishing again for the Goblin King to take her away, but it was all in vain.

"Here we are," Irene chirped as she pulled up in front of the school gates, "And Sarah, if there are any cute guys, remember, I can always set an extra place at the table tonight." She winked as her step-daughter rolled her eyes and got out of the car.

Toby wished her luck.

"Later, kiddo," she said and blew him a kiss which he pretended to catch.

Sarah thanked her stepmother and watched them drive away. The image of Jareth sitting down to dinner with her family popped into her head, and she couldn't help smiling. She wondered if he liked tiramisu, which was Irene's latest food obsession and hoped one day she'd get the chance to find out.

The elementary school was a fairly typical and unremarkable brick building, with an archway entrance. Children were arriving in their droves as busy parents rushed to get them through the gates on time. Sarah felt overwhelmed by it all and completely lost.

A soft-spoken male voice from somewhere close behind her caused her to jump and set her nerves jangling.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," the man apologised. "I was just wondering if you needed any help."

Sarah spun around and was completely unsurprised to come face to face with her possible future husband. She recognised him from the crystal ball vision. Predictably, he seemed instantly taken with her.

"My name's Tim Wakeman, I teach fifth grade, are you new here?" He inquired.

"Hi, yeah, I have an appointment with the principal," she explained. "Would you be kind enough to point me in the right direction?"

He was keen as mustard and she felt like she was cheating on Jareth just by walking with him.

"You didn't tell me your name," Tim noted as he led her to the principal's office.

"Oh, didn't I? I'm, um, Sarah Williams," she reluctantly replied.

He held out his hand and she hesitantly shook it. She tried to make the gesture as brief as possible, but he held on fast for an uncomfortably long moment.

"Pleased to meet you, I sure look forward to getting to know you better," he beamed.

Relieved to have reached her destination, she was keen not to give Tim any signals he could interpret as encouragement. He was talking about them grabbing lunch together, as they were apparently the only two teachers there under the age of forty. Sarah was polite but noncommittal and was exceedingly grateful when the principal promptly came out of his office to greet her.

"I just know you're gonna love it here," Tim said as he strolled off to class looking like he'd just hit the lotto jackpot.

He was a sweet guy, and Sarah felt bad knowing she could never return his feelings. She took her tour of the school and was glad it was over well before lunch time. Mr Evans, the principal, did invite her to stay on for a few hours, but she declined and made up the excuse of a dental appointment. She decided she really would prefer to have teeth drilled rather than risk raising Tim's expectations any further.

Wandering the streets without any clue where she was headed, Sarah stumbled across a small cinema showing a matinee double-bill of Gene Kelly movies. She loved musicals and it seemed as good a way as any to spend the afternoon. Taking her seat in an almost empty theatre, she settled down for the second feature, which was Brigadoon.

" _I'm highly attracted to ye. Why, when I look at ye, I feel wee tadpoles jumping in my spine."_

Sarah immediately thought of Jareth, and the effect he had on her.

_Why do people have to lose things to find out what they really mean?_

She let out a heavy sigh;  _you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone_. Those words had never rung more true to her.

_"I told you if you love someone deeply enough anything is possible. Even... miracles?"_

Sarah wanted to believe that, so badly. Dabbing at her eyes, she decided it was time she went home.

* * *

Toby was waiting for her when she got back to the house. It appeared he had spent the day thinking up various ways they could try and summon the Goblin King. Sarah was grateful for his efforts and had it not been summertime, she would have tried sending a letter up the chimney just to please him. He was such a sweet kid and it would break her heart to leave him behind. Toby was willing her on every step of the way and she wondered if he truly realised what he was helping her wish for.

Her stepmother wasted no time in quizzing her about the school, keen to hear about any dating prospects she might have spotted. Sarah didn't intend to mention Tim, and she was relieved when the conversation moved on to neighbourhood gossip. It seemed strange to her now that she'd been fighting Jareth to return home to a place more obsessed with superficialities than a fairy tale world.

"Oh, a package came for you this morning, it's on the coffee table," Irene gestured towards the lounge as she continued with dinner preparations.

Sarah wasn't expecting anything in the mail, and she regarded it with apathy until she noticed the return address.

"Is it something you bought in London and had shipped over?" Her stepmother inquired from the kitchen.

Sarah didn't pause to answer as she clutched the package to her heart and sprinted up the stairs to her room.

_Maybe we'll need that extra place setting at the dinner table after all._  She allowed herself to hope as she went to open her package from J & K Quinn's bookstore.  _The Goblin King's Bride_ ; that was the book she remembered seeing in London. It was the one she couldn't recall the full title of after her strange experience in the store, the one which looked so much like her copy of Labyrinth. Sarah began to flick through the pages as it detailed how her bumpy love story with Jareth had unfolded. Having reached the part where she'd been sent back home, she was desperate to know what would happen next. She flipped the page over and unconsciously started reading out loud.

" _The High King and Queen of the Inbetween Lands sat on their thrones and glanced contemplatively at the two empty seats beside them. Their youngest son, Prince Kareth, was too busy wallowing in regret and self-pity to be of any use to anybody. His twin, Prince Jareth, otherwise known as the Goblin King, had declared his intention to turn his back on his family and heritage for good. He wanted his precious Sarah back and nothing else mattered to him. His kingdom was close to being flooded from the destructive force of his sorrow._

_High King Hareth turned to his wife and exclaimed, "We must have an end to this strife; the Goblin King shall have his bride!" Elphina, the High Queen, was in complete agreement. She also knew a wedding would bring feasting, which was a fine prospect indeed. Pondering on recent events, she reasoned that although their children were wiser for failing the challenge, the resulting misery was a complete bore. "If sons are to be taught lessons it should be done before they reach five hundred years old, by five thousand it is far too late." Elphina was philosophical and the High King nodded in agreement. "Quite so my dear," he said, and that was an end to that._

_The solutions to their woes were right under their noses, and so they worked their magic._

_There is power in words, so they say. A book holds many wonders in the hands of a person who knows where to look for them. Dear reader, if you seek then you shall find, nothing is closed off to an open mind. A sincere wish made from the heart is always a very fine place to start."_

Sarah set the book down on her bed; she'd already tried wishing and it hadn't worked. But if the magic was in these words, maybe she needed to try again. Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and clasped hold of her moonstone pendant.

"I wish Jareth, the Goblin King, would come and... have dinner with my family."

Feeling a sudden whoosh of air on her face, she opened her eyes expectantly, only to discover the bedroom window was open and the breeze was blowing in. She was crushed and fell back onto her bed weeping.

The sound of the doorbell ringing barely even registered as she was wallowing in her sorrow.

"SARAH!" Her brother yelled out from the hallway at the top of his voice.

His sister didn't respond and so he galloped upstairs and flung her door open.

"You have a visitor, come see," he jabbered excitedly and was gone again before she could respond.

The last thing she was in the mood for was entertaining. She wasn't even expecting anybody,  _was she?_  A sudden fear gripped her that Tim might have discovered her address. She jumped up and crept to the top of the stairs.

"I sure wish Sarah had told me you were coming, I would've made my signature dessert dish." She heard her stepmother say. "Do you like tiramisu?" Irene inquired of the guest.

"Who doesn't?" A charming and familiar voice replied.

 


	18. Chapter 18

" _ **By you I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You shewed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased." - Mr Darcy**_

 

_**Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice** _

 

"JARETH!"

Sarah flew down the stairs and her breath caught when she saw him; he was a vision of pale ethereal beauty even in his mortal guise. There was a hint of vulnerability in his odd blue eyes he seldom let show. Flinging herself into his arms, she kissed him for all she was worth. He returned her passion with equal vigour and the pair of them quite forgot they had an audience. After a long awkward moment, Irene cleared her throat in an attempt to get their attention as Toby wolf-whistled their amorous display.

"Well, it's no wonder you've been so down in the dumps since you got home. Why didn't you tell us you'd met a handsome English guy during your vacation?" Sarah's stepmother was desperate to find out more about her mystery man.

The front door opened and Robert Williams walked in. On his return from work, he was looking for domestic quietude and didn't expect to find his daughter being willingly ravished in the lounge by a stranger.

"What in the Sam Hill is going on here?" He questioned.

Sarah reluctantly broke away from her Goblin King and turned to her family.

"This is - - well, I guess he's my fiancé," she said, not knowing how else to explain the situation.

"You guess he's your fiancé? After that display, I would think you'd know." Robert was incredulous.

He studied her elegantly dressed blond suitor, noting his designer clothes and shoes. The man was evidently on a mission to charm them all with his winsome smile. Irene was clutching the Goblin King's gift of a magnificent flower bouquet, which dwarfed every arrangement he'd ever bought her.

"It's just that I don't actually recall a marriage proposal," Sarah reproached as she turned back to Jareth with mischief twinkling in her eyes. "I only remember being told I was gonna to be your wife, whether I liked it or not."

Duly chastened, he bowed his head and was relieved to see she was only teasing him.

"Where's the ring?" Irene questioned as she observed her stepdaughter's bare left hand. "I never heard of an engagement without an engagement ring," she said.

The Goblin King looked contemplative for a moment and then he gave Toby a conspiratorial wink. With a twirl of his wrist, he opened his palm and a crystal orb appeared on it. There was something shining in the centre of it. He brought his other hand over the glass in a dramatic flourish, and with gasps from the audience, he was left holding an exquisite glistening emerald cut diamond ring.

Jareth lowered himself down onto one knee as he reached for his beloved's hand.

"Sarah Williams, will you do me the very great honour of agreeing to be my wife?" He asked.

She smiled and let him slip the ring onto her finger, it was a perfect fit.

"Oh my, it's gorgeous, thank you," she gasped. "Yes, of course, I'll marry you." Sarah threw her arms around him and the kissing started again. " _We need to talk, though,"_ she whispered in his ear.

Toby wildly applauded them as her father and stepmother looked on in shocked bemusement.

"Isn't this all kind of sudden?" Robert questioned.

His daughter and future son-in-law didn't seem to think it was soon enough.

"Well now, that dinner won't get itself on the table." Irene scurried off to find a vase for the bouquet she was holding, and was glad of an outlet for her nervous energy.

Sarah took Jareth by the hand and dragged him towards the stairs, as she excused them for a private talk.

"Hey, no funny business up there, engaged or not," Robert called after them.

He made a mental note to be sure to have his own quiet chat with his daughter's fiancé.

Jareth hesitated uncertainly on the threshold to Sarah's bedroom. He recalled watching through her window in his owl form several years earlier, as he'd been excluded from her triumphant return celebrations.

"What's wrong?" She questioned as she took his hand and dragged him through the doorway.

"To lose you once was - - necessary, you were too young the first time around, alas. Losing you for a second time was, well, let's just say - I never want to feel that way again." He held her tightly to his chest.

"I told you, I don't want you to ever let me go, but there are things we need to discuss." Sarah kissed him and pulled him down to sit next to her on the bed.

He eyed her warily; scared she was going to somehow slip through his fingers again.

"I love you Jareth and I do want to be your wife, but I'm afraid," she confessed.

His expression was one of alarm.

"What I mean is I'm not afraid of you or your family, even after everything that's happened. It's becoming immortal, that's what terrifies me, and I don't want to go someplace where I'll never be able to see Toby or the rest of my family, ever again," Sarah explained.

She hoped he would understand her fears and help her to overcome them, somehow.

Jareth pensively pursed his lips together. "I have kept things from you, Sarah. And had I been honest from the start, perhaps we might have avoided some of our recent heartaches. I should have trusted you to come to me willingly, and I must confess, it's so much sweeter this way. I could have assuaged some of your fears had I not been filled with dread at the thought of ever losing you again." He was in earnest.

She narrowed her eyes with suspicion. "Keep talking," she commanded.

He sighed and gently stroked her face.

"You will be able to return to this world, although, not as easily or as often as I can, because you will not become fully fae with immortality. But twice a year at the times known as Beltane and Samhain, the veil between world's lifts and you would be able to pass through. I cannot apologise for wanting to make you immortal because I could never stand to watch you crumble to dust before my eyes. You will outlive your human relations by generations and that is the harsh truth of it. But you will still have me, and hopefully lots of little Jareths and Sarahs, and we will be your family too. The concept of eternal life may seem more like a curse than a blessing to some, and for those with little or no imagination, it may indeed turn out that way. We will choose to go to the Land of Unbeing together at some point and so there will be an ending of sorts. Our fae ancestors were called the Soulless Ones because it was believed they were fallen angels who were neither good enough for heaven nor bad enough for hell. The Soulless Ones were said to be already dead and yet would live forever. We could indeed live forever, but we would shrivel up and look worse than the goblins. The truth is we've evolved over the years as some of our kind bred with humans and other species. The Land of Unbeing is a sort of heaven we created for ourselves, and all things considered, it's not such a terrible prospect."

Sarah contemplated his words and tried to comprehend the reality of what he was describing. It was something she could never have a basis of comparison for, and yet she tried to reason it out.

"I remember reading a quote once that said -  _Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon._  The rain never bothered me, and I don't tend to get bored, there's always something to do, right?"

Jareth nodded.

"I can think of plenty of things that would fill an afternoon, rainy or otherwise," he smirked.

A thought occurred to Sarah and her smile turned to a frown.

"Wait a minute; you still get to be King of the Goblins, and no turning your kingdom to dust or anything, right? I know the High King and queen made it possible for you to come back to me, but you didn't have to make some awful bargain with them, did you?" She was on her guard after recent events.

"Have no fear, my love, we will rule our own little world, and aside from formal occasions we need hardly ever see my family. Father has decreed that I shall remain as Goblin King, and when he and mother retire to the Land of Unbeing, I shall rule the north and Kareth shall rule the south," Jareth explained.

"Are you both okay with that?" Sarah worried about the potential for future conflict.

He shrugged. "It's less than my brother wanted but more than he honestly expected, so he's content. I never desired any of it anyway, so half a kingdom has got to be better than bearing the full weight of all of it. I can endure anything with you by my side."

She kissed him and insistently eased him back against the bed. Her hands brushed over his firm lean chest and she felt her arousal building. There was something so attractive about Jareth aside from his good looks; it almost was like a magnetic pull. Her lack of experience was forgotten as she trailed her tongue over the exposed skin of his neck and then up to his right ear.

"Mmm, you taste so good," she murmured dreamily.

"Sarah, my precious one, it is such a pity, but I'm afraid we must wait for our wedding night." He reluctantly tried to cool her ardour. "Your purity will help with the immortality ceremony and with our bonding. We will be married the day after tomorrow, it's all arranged. When we make love for the first time it will be a very intense and special experience for both of us, I can promise you that."

She blushed crimson.

"At least one of us will know what they're doing." She timidly bit her lip "I hope I won't be a disappointment to you." Her self-confidence crumbled and she couldn't bear to meet his gaze.

Jareth reached out and gently tilted her head up so he could look deep into her green eyes.

"Sex without love can be very pleasurable, there's no denying that, but ultimately it's a hollow experience. When we join together, we will be two whole beings becoming as one and our love will take us as deep into the realms of pleasure as it's possible to go. You could never disappoint me, Sarah, so please don't even entertain such foolish notions," he rebuked as he gently stroked her face.

She was about to lean to kiss him again when a knock at the door made her jump.

"What is it?" She impatiently snapped at whoever was outside.

"Mom says dinner's ready," Toby answered, a little hurt by his sister's sharpness.

"Hey, kiddo, get in here," she said, wishing to make amends.

Her brother peered sheepishly around the door and immediately cheered up at the sight of the grinning Goblin King.

"What a fine young fellow you've become," Jareth said as he got up to greet the boy.

Toby surprised him with a hug.

"My sister is gonna be Goblin Queen? That is way cool. Will I be able to come see you?" He asked.

Sarah's heart broke for him and she cursed herself for not explaining the situation better. She would visit him when the timing allowed, but he couldn't follow where she was going. Looking at him now, it was hard for her to believe she had once wanted rid of him. However, if she hadn't, they wouldn't be where they were now.

Jareth raised one of his pointed eyebrows as he pondered a possible solution.

"I do believe, young sir, that if you wished yourself away to us, that wish could be granted. It would be a one-time only deal, though, alas," he warned.

"Really?" the boy grinned. "Cool."

His sister was confused.

"Wait a second, we can't both leave dad and Irene, it wouldn't be fair," Sarah argued.

Toby thought about it and his face fell as he sadly realised she was right.

"We'll come see you when we can," she promised as she hugged him tightly to her and smoothed back his unruly mop of blond hair.

"You could come for the wedding, at least," Jareth offered. "So long as we get you back home before the clock strikes thirteen." That part was very important.

The boy's tears soon dried as he began to jump up and down with excitement at the prospect.

Sarah joined in his merriment and she held out her hand to the bemused Goblin King.

"You might have to use that mind voodoo of yours on dad and Irene, just so they accept my leaving and don't question it. Can you do that?" She inquired.

Jareth nodded.

Toby started singing as they went down to dinner together.

_"You remind me of the babe, the babe with the power, the power of voodoo..."_

 


	19. Chapter 19

_**I absolutely love you** _

_**But we're absolute beginners** _

_**But if my love is your love** _

_**We're certain to succeed** _

 

_**Absolute Beginners by David Bowie** _

 

Jareth used up almost his entire reserves of forbearance getting through dinner with Sarah's father and stepmother. Seeing the strain in the tightness of his jaw, she whispered that it was payback for all she'd endured from his kin. In which case, he thought the punishment more than fitted the crime. The small talk was excruciating and the Goblin King resented being quizzed over his suitability as a husband. He was only too happy to use his powers to shut them up and get them to willingly accept Sarah's imminent departure. Toby wanted Jareth to make his parents do silly stuff while they were under the magic thrall, but his big sister soon put a stop to their fun. She was forced to draw the line after the Goblin King made them strut about and cluck like chickens.

Her every whim would be catered for, Jareth had already made that clear, but Sarah wanted to take some of her own things to help with the transition. Staring down at her suitcase, she tried to decide what to pack while her fiancé snooped around her room. He stopped and stared thoughtfully at her M.C. Escher poster.

"I recreated that place just for you, I wanted to impress you," he confessed.

Noting a melancholic faraway look in his eyes, she abandoned her packing to wrap her arms around him.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to appreciate it back then, but my baby brother was kinda defying gravity at the time. It's a shame it all fell down because I would've liked to see it again." Sarah rested her head against his.

Jareth's face lit up. "Actually, I rebuilt it, and I'll take you there when we return," he promised.

"That's gonna be one heck of a nightmare to childproof when the time comes," she fretted.

He burst out laughing at the thought of it.

"Our children will require no such precautions to be taken, I can assure you," he vowed.

Sarah returned to her packing and she held up a choice of swimwear for Jareth's consideration.

"Which one do you think?" She asked.

His eyes trailed contemplatively over the proffered garments; skimpy bikini and a more conservative looking swimsuit.

"Both," he said, "but that one will be for my eyes only," he indicated towards the two-piece.

Throwing it into her case, she pushed down on the top to get it closed as Jareth helped her zip it up.

"Could we take a walk through the labyrinth tomorrow? I'd like to see my friends before we get married," Sarah requested.

The Goblin King frowned.

"You are soon to become their queen; it won't do for us to be seen scampering about our kingdom with all manner of fuzzy creatures." He haughtily informed her.

She fixed him with a narrow-eyed glare.

"That sounds more like something your family would say," Sarah chided. "Besides, I've got good reasons for wanting to get to know your world better, because of all the careers I considered when I was going through my college options, Goblin Queen wasn't even on the list. How in the heck am I supposed to prepare for such a thing, other than by getting to know the land and the subjects I'll be ruling over?" She questioned.

Jareth regarded her for a long moment and then he let out a heavy sigh.

"Very well," He wore a petulant look.

Sarah cradled his face in her hands.

"If we're gonna make our marriage work, you're gonna have to learn not to be such a sore loser." She kissed his pouty lips.

"I've already won the only prize that really matters," Jareth preened as he gazed adoringly at her.

Sarah held onto him for comfort as they went to bid farewell to her family. She hugged her stepmother and father tightly to her and tried to hold back the tears. Hoisting her brother up in her arms, she made sure to whisper instructions on the right words he needed to wish so he could attend her wedding. He nodded his understanding and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"I'll come visit," she promised as Jareth held out his hand for her to take.

With a flash of glitter, he froze her father and stepmother momentarily in time. The Goblin King and Sarah waved to Toby as they disappeared into the ether.

"It's only forever, not long at all," he whispered in her ear as she pressed her tearstained face against his shirt.

* * *

Sarah skipped down the castle steps in a particularly happy mood. The previous evening had been spent exploring the castle with Jareth. He made it a truly wonderful and magical time. At her request, he had playfully chased her around the Escher room until they'd collapsed together in a giggling heap. He enthusiastically translated the elaborate wood carvings and tapestries that hung on the castle walls, making his history come vividly alive for her. The Goblin King delighted in giving her a taste of the many wonders still to come during their lives together. He kissed her goodnight under the stars, and she had awoken excited at the thought that their wedding day was only one more sleep away.

The goblins were running amok when Sarah entered the throne room, and the whole place was in uproar. Jareth was nowhere to be seen and a couple of chickens were roosting in the seat meant for him. Shooing them away, she set about trying to restore some semblance of order. The floor was filthy and seemed to be covered with critters of all kinds and things she didn't want to think about. Sarah stepped carefully over to the throne and after brushing off some stray feathers, she sat down.

"This mess will not do at all," she roared, imitating Jareth's clipped accent. "You," she pointed at the nearest goblin. "What's your name?"

The raggedy creature fell into a fawning display of excessive bowing.

"Grub, your-almost-majesty," he squeaked.

"Well, Grub, you and your friends had better start tidying up or else - - or else, I won't read you a story, and it's a good story too." Sarah sought to entice them.

The goblins were unsure and unconvinced at first, but she couldn't bring herself to threaten them with the Bog of Eternal Stench.

"Well, hurry up," she snapped, as the various assembled critters jumped to obey her orders.

After some careful supervision, Sarah went to the library to select a suitable book to read to them. Returning to a fairly presentable throne room, she gave them a sweet smile.

"Much better," she said and ordered them all to sit comfortably so she could begin the story.

Opening up the copy of Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes, she began with the tale of Little Red Riding Hood and The Wolf.

The Goblin King was astounded to arrive in his throne room to find his subjects in rapt attention; each one hanging onto his beloved's every word. He watched Sarah in awe from his concealed place on the stairwell as the goblin audience ooh-ed and ahh-ed before finally collapsing into fits of laughter. As soon as she finished the verse with a dramatic flourish, he made himself known with loud applause.

"You are spoiling them, my precious one," Jareth warned as he walked through the assembled crowd, not caring where he trod or on whom.

"I'm starting to think my teaching skills won't be wasted after all," she proudly beamed as she rested back on his throne.

He frowned. "I can see I am going to have to do some redecorating around here." Waving his hands around, he produced a crystal ball.

Sarah gave him a curious look, thinking he was dissatisfied with the goblin's attempts at cleaning up.

"My queen needs a throne of her own," Jareth clarified.

He gestured for her to move behind him as he threw the crystal at the space she'd vacated. A blinding flash of light illuminated the entire room, and when it faded there were two identical royal seats sitting side by side.

Sarah smiled with approval and rewarded the king with a kiss.

"How about we take that walk through the labyrinth now?" She inquired.

He gave an unenthusiastic nod of his head. Excited to see her friends again, she rushed off to put on some suitable prospective Goblin Queen attire. She soon re-emerged wearing the dark green leather jacket he'd had made for her, along with matching boots and a white blouse with fitted black pants.

Jareth was unimpressed with the lower half of her outfit. "It is customary for queens to wear gowns," he observed.

"Well, this queen is gonna tear up the rule book," she said with her chin set in determination, daring him to argue.

His eyes were stormy for a moment, and then he broke into a toothy grin.

"Shall we?" Jareth held out his arm to her and she gladly let him lead her onwards.

Making their way through the Goblin City, they eventually arrived at the gateway which led to the labyrinth. The great doors groaned open and the sound of rapturous cheering greeted them. Sarah was overwhelmed as she saw Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus astride Ambrosius, along with an assembled horde of labyrinth-dwelling creatures. Her friends tentatively stepped forward, as they were conscious of her soon-to-be-elevated status. But she wasn't about to stand on ceremony, and she moved to envelop them in a warm hug.

"I missed you all, so much," she cried as one by one they welcomed her home.

Jareth stood back and let her enjoy the moment. Although, he kept his swagger stick at the ready incase any creature dared to get too familiar with his beloved.

"Your subjects already adore you, my precious one, you were born to be my queen," he crowed with pride.

Sarah addressed the crowd, "You shall all come to the wedding," she announced, and they cheered even louder than before.

Jareth scowled.

"We are going to need a bigger cake," he sighed.

 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are, my friends; the final chapter. I really enjoyed writing this fanfiction, it was a nice bit of escapism from my sometimes not-so-nice real life. I hope the ending doesn't disappoint, and I thank you all for taking the time to read this story. Please do let me know if you enjoyed it or have any constructive criticism. -Mrs P.

 

_**If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.** _

 

_**Orson Welles** _

 

"White leather and feathers?" Sarah exclaimed as she examined the wedding outfit which had been made for her.

The bodice of the dress was embroidered white leather; the skirt was flared tulle with hundreds of tiny diamonds sewn onto it. There was a white feathered cape, made from familiar looking plumage, and matching jewelled suede ankle boots. She also had an amulet necklace to wear just like Jareth's, and a crown which bore the same symbol on its peak. It might not have been what she imagined getting married in, but somehow, it worked.

Sarah ran her hand over the soft feathers of her cape with a building sense of anticipation. If given the choice, she probably would have chosen something more traditional. But she was marrying a Goblin King, and unconventionality was expected. Her hair was backcombed to within an inch of its life by an overenthusiastic elf stylist, and then she was given a full face glittery makeover by a nymph beautician. Sarah hoped her eye shadow wouldn't clash with Jareth's, as she thought about how disconcertingly attractive he looked in make-up while still retaining his masculine appeal.

She let her helpers lower the crown on top of her puffed up hair, and then assist her in fastening the cape. The jittery nerves, which had been plaguing her since the previous evening, were back with a vengeance. Sarah slipped on her boots and drew in a deep breath as she walked over to the full-length mirror. A gasp of pure joy escaped her lips as she twirled excitedly from side to side.

"Not bad at all." She smiled proudly at her reflection.

A knock at the door signalled it was time for her to join the wedding party. She hadn't seen Jareth's family since the day of the Grand Labyrinth challenge, and she expected them to be troublesome guests. No doubt their royal highnesses were less than impressed to be surrounded by goblins and all manner of other lowly creatures. But this was the domain of the Goblin King and his soon-to-be queen, and they would just have to lump it, she defiantly thought.

Jareth was waiting to greet her as she stepped out of the bedchamber. His eyes swept appreciatively and rather lasciviously over her.

"I once told you that you were my wish come true, and oh, my precious one, you are," he sighed as he took her hand and kissed it in a reverential way.

Sarah gazed adoringly at him as she admired his outfit. It was similar to the one he'd worn at their final confrontation in the ruined Escher Room when she'd defeated him and reclaimed Toby. This time, he wore a feathery cloak over a white ruffled shirt and white leather jacket. His breeches and boots were also made to match. Jareth's hair was as wild as ever and his crown was almost buried underneath it. His amulet kept getting lost between the ruffles of his shirt, and Sarah reached out to readjust its position.

" _I ask for so little, just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want,"_  she murmured. " _Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."_ She trailed her fingers over his chest as she recalled his earlier words.

He tilted his head slightly to one side as his mouth twitched contemplatively.

"These terms are acceptable to me," he said as a grin spread across his face.

Sarah brushed her lips softly over his and he made a throaty growl as he deepened the kiss.

"Are we going to have a wedding today, or not?"

The High Queen's exasperated voice rose above the noise of the assembled rabble.

Sarah reluctantly broke away from Jareth and they lovingly straightened each other's crowns.

"Shall we?" He said.

She linked arms with him and they descended the stairs to the great hall.

"Well, it's about time," the High King grumbled.

"We thought you'd forgone the ceremony in favour of starting the festivities early," Kareth quipped as he suggestively raised his eyebrow.

"Hey, sis," Toby called out and excitedly waved as he frolicked around with some of his new goblin friends.

The wedding feast was already set out, and at its centre was a cake so tall, the top tier was almost touching the ceiling. It was true; they were taking a chance by leaving it within reach of so many unruly creatures, many of whom were already in high spirits, and hungry. The assembled throng of unusual guests parted so that Jareth could escort Sarah towards the flowery altar, where his family were waiting. At the centre stood the High King, he was holding a small silver goblet aloft which was engraved with a spiral pattern. She presumed this was the infinity cup, and a frisson of terror set her all a-quiver at the thought of what she was about to undertake. Jareth eyed her nervously as he sensed her fear, but she forced herself to smile in an effort to reassure him. The choice had already been made, and she wasn't going to change her mind now.

"Sarah, step forward," the High King commanded.

At least he was addressing her by her name this time, and not merely as human, which she supposed she wouldn't be for much longer, anyway. Hareth twirled his wrist and opened his hand to reveal a small vial which contained a frothing green substance. He crushed it over the cup, letting the foul-looking liquid ooze out. Sarah grimaced as the High King offered her the goblet to take.

"May the blood of the Soulless Ones grant life eternal to you," he proclaimed.

Tentatively, she peered into the sacred vessel. "Will it make me feel any different to the way I do now?" She asked.

The High King contemplatively pursed his lips. "Your senses will be amplified as you shall be more alive than ever before, in many ways," he explained. "It may feel overwhelming at first, but you'll soon get used to it."

Sarah glanced over at Jareth, who was silently willing her on, and he gave a nod of his head as encouragement. Toby gave her the thumbs up sign as he stood with Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus. The High Queen and Kareth were too busy shooing away overenthusiastic goblins to offer any support. Taking a deep breath, Sarah lifted the cup to her lips. She was pleasantly surprised to find the green liquid tasted like apple juice. Drinking it down in one gulp, she tried to discern if there was any change in the way she felt. There was no immediate effect that she could detect, and she didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

The wedding ceremony was to be conducted by an old revered fae, who was introduced as the Keeper of Secrets. His name was Rapando, and he manifested before them in a dramatic glittering flash. He wore a billowing dark blue cloak which sparkled with star like jewels. Reaching for Sarah's hand, Jareth planted a lingering kiss on the centre of her palm and indicated that she should do likewise to him.

"Two are bound together as one, from this day forward and for all eternity," Rapando said as he wrapped a green ribbon around their joined hands.

When he released them, Sarah was shocked to find a spiral tattoo on her palm, which matched an identical one on her husband's.

"All hail the Goblin King and Queen," the Keeper of Secrets proclaimed.

The room was shaken by an almighty cheer as Jareth took his bride in his arms. At the exact moment their lips met, Sarah felt her enhanced senses kicking in. Their kiss sent sparks flying through her entire body until it was as if all her nerves were tingling in unison.

The High Queen rolled her eyes. "My dear boy, do hurry up and announce the feasting, or I fear I shall faint clean away," she impatiently snapped.

The rest of their mismatched hordes of guests were beginning to grow restless, and so the Goblin King reluctantly broke away from his new wife.

"Let the feasting begin," he commanded.

"That was one short ceremony," Sarah chuckled as her husband led her towards the table.

She was recalling a Catholic wedding she'd once attended that seemed to go on forever.

"It's not over yet," Jareth promised with a waggle of his eyebrows, his eyes blazing with desire. "The bonding part happens later, in bed. I believe, in the olden days, newlyweds were required to perform it in front of the guests. But I think my mother would object if we tried to revive that particular tradition," he grinned.

"She wouldn't be the only one!" Sarah snorted.

The Goblin King and Queen took their seats at the feasting table as guests filed by to offer their congratulations. Toby kissed his sister and shook hands with his new brother-in-law. He was having the time of his life with all the goblins who were glad to see him again. Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus, could barely contain their joy and delight at their new queen. Kareth approached them warily. He reached out and took Sarah's hand in his, pressing a respectful kiss to it.

"I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me," he beseeched her.

She eyed him with suspicion, but he looked so much like the man she loved, she found her anger dissolving. Jareth wasn't willing to be quite so magnanimous.

"I think a few thousand years spent apart should rid me of the urge to want to strangle you until your perfect blue eyes pop out of your stupid head," he growled at his twin.

Kareth nodded in agreement and scooted off to try and find someone to spend the evening with who wasn't completely covered in hair.

The High King and queen were much mellowed by the food and ale. They weren't quite so priggish once they got drunk. Sarah was still grateful she wouldn't be obliged to spend much time in their company. However, she decided it would be prudent to make sure they were supplied with copious amounts of goblin ale, whenever family gatherings couldn't be avoided.

Food and drink were in plentiful supply, but she bemoaned the lack of music.

"Where I come from, it's customary for the bride and groom to have a first dance together, can we do that?" Sarah inquired with a bashful smile.

Jareth appeared more than happy to oblige. He immediately manifested three crystal balls which he sent flying off into the air.

"If my precious wife wants a first dance, she shall have one," he declared. "And this time, it won't be ruined by a chiming clock."

The crystal balls swirled around in the air and collided to create a glittering dance floor illuminated by three floating chandeliers. Goblins and other creatures gladly scattered to make room for the happy couple. Jareth led Sarah out to the centre of the room and his arms encircled her as they began to move in rhythm to the music.

_**But I'll be there for you-ou-ou** _

_**As the world falls down.** _

_**Falling.** _

_**Falling down.** _

_**Falling in love.** _

_**[As The World Falls Down by David Bowie]** _

The feasting and partying looked set to continue into the next day, but Toby's thirteen hours were almost up. He didn't want to leave and complained loudly about how unfair it was.

"Your family has a keen sense of personal injustice," Jareth dryly remarked.

Sarah hugged her brother tightly to her, despite his protests. She promised they would visit as often as was possible, and it would be Halloween when she saw him again.

"Bring lots of candy," he pouted.

The clock began to chime, and all the goblins who hadn't succumbed to a drunken stupor came to bid Toby farewell. His sister kissed him and Jareth fondly ruffled the boy's blond hair before sending him back home.

The Goblin King wiped away his queen's tears and led her to the staircase.

"Let us go to bed, my precious one," he said.

Sarah eagerly nodded and the newlyweds took their leave of the drunken revellers.

It was many hours, maybe even a day later, when she awoke in the arms of her husband. Their bed chamber was littered with scattered clothes, boots, crowns and feathers. Surveying the damage, she tried unsuccessfully to care as Jareth stirred beside her. His hands began to wander over her body and she whimpered with delight.

"If we do this every day, from now until the end of time, that's just fine with me," she enthused between languid kisses.

The Goblin King gave a mock dramatic sigh. "Oh, how you starve and near exhaust me, my precious one."

Sarah pulled him under the covers and both of them burst out laughing.

"Will we always be this happy, do you think? She questioned.

Jareth made a face like he was giving the matter serious contemplation, and then did something which made her purr with pleasure.

"Every day I think I can't possibly love you more, and then I do, so I believe we will," he said.

* * *

Did the Goblin King and Queen live happily ever after? Yes, mostly, because no one is happy all of the time. Jareth and Sarah argued on occasion, which they both secretly enjoyed, and the fire of passion between them burned brightly. Their six children were a source of constant joy, and frequent frustration. The king often wished for the goblins to take them away, which they did, but then they brought them right back again. Sarah visited Toby and her family for many years until her lack of ageing began to bother them. Her brother was married with a family of his own by that time, and so she didn't feel too bad about leaving him to get on with the rest of his life. The Goblin Queen loved her six children equally, but the youngest, named Jareth Junior, or JJ for short, was the apple of all of their eyes. He was a blue-eyed baby with a shock of blond hair and a mischievous spirit, just like his father. Sarah wrote lots of stories to read to her children, but their favourite one by far was The Goblin King's Bride (with the adult kissing bits edited out, of course).

**THE END.**

 

 


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